Man City’s new undroppable has given Pep Guardiola major headache
Manchester City have probably found a new undroppable this week and he has left Pep Guardiola with a major headache.
When the ultimate whistle blew on Manchester City’s 2025/26 Champions League marketing campaign, there was a mixture of feelings contained in the Etihad Stadium. There was apparent disappointment in shedding to Real Madrid once more, however followers could possibly be happy with the battle proven by this group of gamers.
Despite going to man down and 4-0 behind on combination after simply over 20 minutes, the blues they weren’t discouraged from attacking and sustained an onslaught on the Real defence. Committing such numbers to assaults meant the protection wanted to be at their finest and one man exemplified that greater than anybody else.
Abdukodir Khusanov might have simply been disheartened when Marc Guehi arrived within the January switch window. City’s first Uzbekistan worldwide barely performed within the first half of the season as a consequence of harm – including Guehi to the combo was solely going to hurt their probabilities. But Ruben Dias’ misfortune gave Khusanov a glimmer of hope.
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Since then, the previous Lens defender has missed simply two Premier League matches and has excelled at centre-back. In the primary leg in opposition to Real, he was an unlucky likelihood of Pep Guardiola’s full-back experiment. While he can play at right-back, it’s clear his strengths lie in the midst of protection.
On Wednesday, Khusanov was practically faultless again within the heart. His blistering tempo saved Los Blancos’ ahead line at bay for a lot of the sport. His restoration tackles had been very good and he proved Guardiola was proper to indicate his religion in him. A efficiency of that high quality means his identify must be on the teamsheet this Sunday when City journey to Wembley.
But City has a long-term headache. Dias will accomplice Khusanov in opposition to Arsenal this weekend with Guehi cup-tied.
Whether that partnership stays after the top is one other query. Dias is the skilled head within the City protection, a part of the management group and a participant who Guardiola trusts absolutely.
Guehi is new to this staff and the pressures that include it. He struggled in Madrid and that was maybe the explanation Khusanov was most popular within the return leg. However, City didn’t spend £20m on a participant who would have been free in the summertime only for him to take a seat on the bench.
Guardiola stated this City staff had a vivid future within the wake of the Real defeat. But what that future appears to be like like is unclear.
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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
After January, the protection was anticipated to be Dias and Guehi with Khusanov a succesful back-up. That plan was clear after the Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle when Guardiola urged the EFL to reverse their ruling on cup-tied gamers.
“Hopefully in March, we will arrive with the gamers match and hopefully you possibly can persuade the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play within the remaining,” he stated. “It’s difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.
“So, hopefully we write a letter, and hopefully the Carabao Cup can perceive. He’s not capable of play for a rule that I do not perceive why. Hopefully, they’ll change it.”
Guardiola could also be glad the EFL caught to their weapons in the long run. This weekend, City don’t have to fret about protecting Dias, Guehi and Khusanov completely happy.
After the international break, though, Guardiola has a selection dilemma: do City stick to the original plan of Dias and Guehi or do they find a way to fit Khusanov into this defense?
Playing him at right-back and starting all three defenders does not work – as the Bernabeu proved. On current form, Khusanov cannot be overlooked but how Guardiola keeps all three defenders happy will be the true test.
