Abdukodir Khusanov breaks Manchester City record to beat Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol to top prize | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov has defeated Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol to the club’s latest Player of the Month award, setting a new record in the process.

The 21-year-old Uzbekistan international has been at the Etihad Stadium for only six weeks since joining from Ligue 1 side RC Lens on a four-and-a-half year deal during the January transfer window.

Khusanov was one of four big-money signings made by Txiki Begiristain and his colleagues at the midway stage of the season, to ensure that Manchester City would be able to maintain a serious claim for the top-four places in the Premier League table.

And despite a shaky opening five minutes in his debut for the club against Chelsea, Khusanov has shown exactly why Manchester City sanctioned a big price tag for the youngster and have placed him into the biggest of matches despite that first appearance.

With an excellent reading of the game, strength in defensive actions, an eye for a forward pass, and a staggering turn of pace, Abdukodir Khusanov enjoyed a stellar February for the club in which he also recorded his first goal in sky blue.

Albeit somewhat fortuitous, it was the centre-back who got Manchester City back on level terms against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round as he got the final touch on an off-target Rico Lewis effort from distance at the Gaughan Group Stadium.

Khusanov then went on to play every single minute for Manchester City in Premier League outings against Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur, while starring at right-back and keeping Vinicius Jr quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League.

It was those performances that saw Abdukodir Khusanov nominated for Manchester City’s Player of the Month award, alongside star striker Erling Haaland and mainstay left-back Josko Gvardiol.

Perhaps unsurprisingly to many, Khusanov has emerged victorious and has set a new record along the way, with the club confirming that the 21-year-old received the highest number of votes a player has ever picked up to claim a Player of the Month prize.

Having been rested for the FA Cup fifth round win over Plymouth Argyle last weekend, Abdukodir Khusanov is expected to be one of the first names on the teamsheet when Manchester City travel to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

It is a primary opportunity for the reigning Premier League champions to leapfrog Nuno Espirito Santo’s side into third-place in the division with a win, following an excellent campaign from the City Ground side up until this stage of the season.