In the recently concluded Manchester Derby, Manchester City’s young player Abdukodir Khusanov delivered an impressive performance in the right-back position. Throughout the match, he maintained solidity and helped the club keep a clean sheet against Manchester United (Man Utd). According to reports, Khusanov, a young player originally trained as a center-back, may be used as a stopgap option and feature more frequently at right-back.
Only four games into the new season, head coach Pep Guardiola has already deployed three different players at right-back, indicating instability in this position. Back in June, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento was identified by City as a potential transfer target for the right-back role. However, as Newcastle qualified for the Champions League and entered the race for Livramento, City’s plan to complete the deal at a low cost fell through. As a result, the team has had to rely more on internal resources to find a solution.
For the club, English midfielder Rico Lewis was once City’s first choice at right-back. Nevertheless, his weaknesses in defensive positioning and one-on-one duels have gradually become apparent. Although he signed a new five-year contract with the club last Friday and once again stated in an official interview that he prefers to play in midfield, it is worth noting that his teammate Matheus Nunes shares the same sentiment—Nunes has also filled in at right-back for City in multiple matches.
Against this backdrop, Guardiola tried a new personnel arrangement in the just-concluded Manchester Derby. Khusanov was tasked with filling in at right-back in an emergency, and his performance impressed everyone, demonstrating good adaptability and defensive stability. At least in the short term, he may become a viable alternative for this position.
In the long run, as a pacey center-back, Khusanov also has the potential to develop into a wide defensive player, especially suitable for dealing with the threat of opponents' pacey wingers. Guardiola also publicly praised Khusanov’s performance after the match, stating that he “did an excellent job.” Therefore, in future games, we may see this young player feature more frequently in the right-sided defensive area.
