"After an awful mistake from the 33m signing gifted Chelsea the opening goal in the game in January 2025, he was booked soon after and it was an uphill journey for him from that desperate start. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said he "felt like crying for the lad" after that game, and following City's Champions League defeat at Real Madrid the following month, ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said, external Khusanov had been "like a rabbit in the headlights"."
"Guardiola enthused about him afterwards, saying "what a game he played" against Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike, although he was substituted in the second half after colliding with City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Khusanov's main asset is his speed - he has clocked 22mph this season, the sixth-highest for a Premier League defender, with Wolves' Jackson Tchatchoua leading the way on 23.2mph."
Abdukodir Khusanov endured a disastrous debut for Manchester City, making a costly error that conceded a goal and receiving a booking within minutes. He faced public criticism, described as "like a rabbit in the headlights" by Paul Robinson, yet recovered to become a defensive mainstay as City compete on four fronts. Pep Guardiola labelled him a "top-level player" after strong performances, including at Anfield. Khusanov has played 22 games this season, recorded 17 tackles and 18 interceptions, and clocked 22mph—the sixth-fastest for a Premier League defender. He became the first Uzbek to play in England's top division and will represent his country at the World Cup.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]