Abdukodir Khusanov’s injury remain a major concern for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola admits defender faces ‘dangerous, dangerous’ setback.
Manchester City will once again be without young defender Abdukodir Khusanov when they travel to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola confirmed during his pre-match press conference that the 21-year-old is still nursing an injury sustained over a month ago and remains unavailable for selection.
The Uzbekistan international suffered the setback in the first half of City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal in September and has since been ruled out of action, missing both domestic and European fixtures.
Khusanov also sat out the midweek Champions League trip to Villarreal as he continues his rehabilitation.
The defender’s absence comes as a significant blow for Guardiola, who had gradually integrated Khusanov into the squad following his arrival from RC Lens in January.
Despite a rocky start to life in the Premier League, the youngster had earned plaudits for his composure, tactical intelligence, and adaptability—qualities that quickly turned him into one of City’s promising defensive prospects.
Having initially arrived as a largely unknown figure, Khusanov impressed with his performances at right-back, offering Guardiola much-needed flexibility in a position that has evolved under his tactical system.
City’s decision not to recruit a like-for-like replacement for Kyle Walker during the summer transfer window was, in part, a show of faith in the 21-year-old’s potential to cement a long-term role in the team. But just as he was establishing himself, injury struck at an unfortunate moment.
The timing of Abdukodir Khusanov’s injury has left City short of defensive options as they attempt to keep pace with Premier League leaders Arsenal and a resurgent Liverpool side in what promises to be another intense title race.
Guardiola cautious over Khusanov’s recovery timeline
Pep Guardiola, while hopeful that Khusanov’s recovery is progressing, provided a cautious update that will do little to ease the concerns of Manchester City supporters.
The manager confirmed that the club’s medical team is treading carefully due to the nature of the injury.
“I think he’s close to coming back, but still I think he’s not ready. He had an injury in a dangerous, dangerous position in his body,” Guardiola admitted when asked about the player’s condition.
The City boss did not elaborate on the specific area affected, but his tone suggested that the injury is being handled with the utmost care to avoid long-term complications.
It is understood that the club wants to ensure Khusanov returns fully fit rather than risk aggravating the issue by rushing his comeback.
Khusanov’s development since joining from RC Lens in the January transfer window has been one of the quiet success stories of Guardiola’s squad evolution.
- James Trafford received two ‘possible’ options to become Man City first choice goalkeeper
- Man City monitor “magnificent” winger similar to Leroy Sané to replace Grealish
After an uncertain start—marked by a nervy full Premier League debut against Chelsea in which he conceded an early goal and picked up a yellow card for a challenge on former City man Cole Palmer—the defender showed remarkable mental strength to bounce back.
Over the course of the season, he established himself as a reliable option in defence, featuring prominently during City’s push for a third-place finish last term.
His positioning, reading of the game, and technical ability on the ball have drawn praise from Guardiola, who sees him as a player capable of fitting seamlessly into City’s possession-oriented approach.
Khusanov’s improvement was part of a broader effort by Manchester City to refresh their squad last summer, with several senior players departing and new faces arriving to usher in the next phase of Guardiola’s project.
While fellow January signing Vitor Reis was loaned out to Girona to gain experience, Khusanov was retained as part of the first-team setup—an indication of how highly he is regarded within the Etihad hierarchy.
