Man City 3-1 Chelsea: Premier League champions recover from Abdukodir Khusanov's nightmare start
2025-01-26
Category: sports

It was a nightmare start to a Premier League debut.A terrible mistake to gift Chelsea the opener and a booking within four minutes - Â£33.6m Manchester City new boy Abdukodir Khusanov looked genuinely scared."It was not the best start," admitted City manager Pep Guardiola. Striker Erling Haaland was more blunt, calling it a "horrific start" for the team as a whole.Watching the game for Sky Sports, former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp could only sympathise: "When you get in that position it's like your head is in a tumble dryer." Gary Neville added: "I felt like crying for the lad."Thankfully for former Lens defender Khusanov, his evening got better.Goals from Josko Gvardiol, Haaland and Phil Foden ensured Khusanov's first game ended in a 3-1 win that propelled City back into the Premier League's top four.The defending champions are now unbeaten in six league matches, winning four of their past five - having previously won one in nine.Their recent run has reignited Champions League qualification hopes, and they are now just six points off second-placed Arsenal.
'I will have to learn Russian or Uzbek'
If he digs back through the archives, Khusanov will find he is not the first January signing to endure a tortuous bow at Etihad Stadium. Indeed, he lasted longer in this game than former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, who was replaced at half-time 19 years ago in a derby away at City.He didn't do too badly after that.But, at just 20 years old, with a professional career that extends to just 70 games of senior football and little grasp of English, Khusanov is going to need time."It was not the best start of course but he will take a lesson," said Guardiola. "He is so young and has come for many years. He didn't make one training session with us. We came from Ipswich and PSG, so it was just recovery, recovery, recovery."I will have to learn Russian or Uzbek to communicate with him because he doesn't speak English fluently but in that kind of situation, there is nothing much to say. He knows he made a mistake. So I take him to one side and say what? Don't make a mistake?"Khusanov's initial mistake was to head the ball straight to Nicolas Jackson, deep in the City half, who squared for Noni Madueke to finish. When Chelsea next attacked, he lost possession in his own half again and, desperate to make amends, chopped down Cole Palmer and was booked. It was the earliest yellow card for a player on their Premier League debut since Lee Peltier for Cardiff against Bournemouth in 2018.Redknapp added: "I felt [playing Abdukodir Khusanov] was a bit of a risk. It's less of a risk for [Omar] Marmoush, but when you're playing as a centre-back it's a lot more difficult."I think Pep right now will be thinking 'I shouldn't have played him'. It was a really difficult debut. Hopefully he'll be a stronger player for it."City's players noticeably offered their support and when Khusanov was replaced by John Stones nine minutes into the second half, an appreciative crowd responded."I didn't make the substitution for the mistake," said Guardiola. "I did it for the yellow card. Also, I need John Stones on Wednesday."Wednesday is when City play their final Champions League first-phase game, needing to beat Club Brugge to qualify for the play-offs.Their other new recruits, Omar Marmoush and Vitor Reis, are not allowed to play in that match either.While teenager Reis watched the game from the dugout, Marmoush also started and looked a threat, having a goal disallowed for offside and showing plenty of signs that his combination with Haaland could be profitable."I have seen him in the Bundesliga," Haaland told BBC Match of the Day. "You can see he has something special and it is going to be fantastic playing with him."Shearer added on BBC Match of the Day: "I was impressed with Marmoush. He was a threat, brought some energy and had pace and a willingness."He was bright, lively and got good balls into the box. I liked the way he wanted to get into the box and he did his shift defensively. His understanding with Haaland showed promise as well."
Maresca still has 'trust' in Sanchez
Khusanov was not the only player to make a huge error.Given his age and the amount of time he has been in the country, the Uzbekistan international's error was forgivable.The one from Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez was much less so, as he initially advanced off his line when Haaland tussled with Trevoh Chalobah to reach Ederson's long punt downfield.Realising he was getting nowhere he started moving back, leaving himself in no man's land as Haaland calmly curled the ball over his head and into the net to put City in front for the first time.On the day another Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga kept a clean sheet for Bournemouth in their impressive 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, the optics around what was confirmed as Sanchez's fifth error leading directly to a goal in the top flight this season were not good."I'm saying 'just stay where you are'," said Redknapp. "He's not going to make up that distance so why even make up [Haaland's] mind?"Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said all the right things afterwards, that Sanchez is the first to admit his blunder, which is positive, and that he still "trusts" him.However, there was a caveat as he looked ahead to a deadline-day trip to West Ham on 3 February."Now we have an entire week," he said. "We will see the reaction and decide for the next game."Filip Jorgensen has already started two Premier League games this season. Maresca's words suggest the 22-year-old has a chance for a longer stint.