The ‘rabbit in headlights’ now excelling for Man City

February 11, 2026 No Comments

The ‘rabbit in headlights’ now excelling for Man City Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Abdukodir Khusanov is the first player from Uzbekistan to play in the Premier LeagueByShamoon Hafez

Manchester City reporter

37 minutes ago

9 Comments

Abdukodir Khusanov endured a nightmare debut for Manchester City, producing a comedy of errors inside his first four minutes of action for the club.

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 stated 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 stated, external Khusanov had been “like a rabbit in the headlights”.

But with City challenging on all four fronts this season, the centre-back has recovered from those early setbacks to emerge as a mainstay in the backline, with manager Pep Guardiola calling him a “top-level player”.

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The 21-year-old has experienced a remarkable rise from playing in Belarus’ top-flight to reaching the Premier League within three years.

A trailblazer for his country, he became the first player from Uzbekistan to feature in England’s top division and will represent his nation at the World Cup in the summer.

He has played 22 times in all competitions for City this season and featured in the impressive victories over Manchester United and Newcastle, as well as Sunday’s comeback win over champions Liverpool at Anfield.

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.

With 17 tackles and 18 interceptions this term, Khusanov ranks second for City players on both metrics, having had to step up amid the absence of Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones at various stages.

Khusanov arrived in Manchester with limited English and when asked about possible language difficulties on Tuesday, Guardiola replied: “He doesn’t speak like William Shakespeare but he’s getting better and better.

“He understands what we want and every time he is getting better. He is so intelligent.”

Khusanov is naturally reserved and instead does his talking on the pitch with a no-nonsense approach.

Such has been the improvement in his form this season that he claimed City’s player of the month award for January.

That stated, it is true to say that Khusanov can still cause some nervousness among City fans when in possession, perhaps with flashbacks to his first game.

He is still young and raw, but Guardiola has no doubts about the player’s bright future.

“Normally when a player has physicality, it means he does not have to use the head,” stated the Spaniard. “He has both. That’s why on the ball he is getting better and it always encourages me that he will improve.

“I think he can improve – he is always open minded. I have stated Manchester City have a player and a central defender for many, many years.”

Tactical analysis: Khusanov’s pace vital for high line

Umir Irfan

Football tactics correspondent

Khusanov’s standout quality is his pace, which is invaluable in the modern game.

City’s assistant coach Pep Lijnders has helped employ some of the sport’s most aggressive out-of-possession tactics throughout his career. His influence has bled into City’s system this season, with the Blues looking to catch opponents offside.

This high-risk approach is made less risky when playing Khusanov. His pace helps him step up to catch opponents offside, or defend running towards his own goal when teams play direct through balls.

He is averaging 17.85 sprints per 90 minutes, the most of any central defender in the league; more than being quick, he is using that pace often and to good effect.

Man Utd v Man City — Image caption,

From this seemingly impossible position, Khusanov was able to intercept Bruno Fernandes’ pass to Bryan Mbeumo in City’s derby loss

The best teams boast technical quality that improves their ability to build out from the back and defending teams now have the problem of whether they leave an extra defender back for defensive solidity or not – as doing so means they press with one fewer player.

Khusanov’s pace and reading of the game enables him to make up ground when City press with one fewer player higher up. This prevents opponents from finding a way out of City’s press.

Man City v Wolves — Image caption,

Wolves bypass City’s press but Khusanov steps up from centre-back to help City match Wolves on the right, before intercepting the pass. Rodri is able to then hold his position deeper

As much as speed is key to his game, Guardiola has made sure to point out that Khusanov is more than just brawn.

Quick defenders often encourage opponents to run at them, knowing they can beat them for pace – but Khusanov’s intelligence shines when it comes to deciding when to engage in duels versus when to back off.

His aggressive nature is the source of debate, but it allows him to be an impressive high-line defender, preventing attackers from holding the ball up. Khusanov cleverly backs off, however, if there is another player making a run into a more dangerous area – providing much-needed cover.