Manuel Akanji rallies round Abdukodir Khusanov after tough Man City debut | OneFootball

Manuel Akanji rallied round team-mate Abdukodir Khusanov after a torrid start to his Manchester City career.

Khusanov, the 20-year-old centre-back signed last week from Lens, was plunged straight in at the deep end as Pep Guardiola named him in the starting line-up for Saturday’s crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea.

The Uzbekistan international endured a baptism of fire as he committed an error that led to a Chelsea goal and got booked within four minutes, but City rallied to win 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium and return to the top four.

“Obviously, it wasn’t a good start for Khusanov, but I think he recovered really well,” said fellow defender Akanji, who was City’s only fully-fit senior centre-back.

“It’s not easy to play your first match here at home against Chelsea. We tried to lift him up and I think he did well after that.

“I tried to protect him and not bring him into situations where it could be really tricky, especially against a team like Chelsea, who have so many good individual players.

“I just tried to lift him up and tell him not to think too much but to keep on going, maybe play the safer pass back to Eddy (Ederson) in his next action and win his next duel to get his confidence back.

We've only got big games now for the rest of the season because we put ourselves in this position in the Champions League and in the league

Manuel Akanji

“I think that’s the only thing you can really do.”

Chelsea grabbed a third-minute lead after Nicolas Jackson swooped on Khusanov’s weak back-header to set up Noni Madueke.

Khusanov was then booked for hacking down Cole Palmer and things could have got considerably worse as he was beaten by the same player soon after.

But Chelsea spurned that opening and City stabilised with Josko Gvardiol levelling and the tried-and-trusted duo of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden settling the game in the second half.

Khusanov stayed on until the 54th minute, while fellow new signing Omar Marmoush had a lively 74-minute run-out.

City’s victory lifted spirits after their midweek capitulation at Paris St Germain and put them in good heart for Wednesday’s crunch encounter with Bruges, which they must win to remain in the Champions League.

Akanji said: “I think we showed a great performance and we just need to keep on going.

“We’ve only got big games now for the rest of the season because we put ourselves in this position in the Champions League and in the league.

“We’d better bring a performance like this on Wednesday so we can get into the play-off, because it’s our last chance.”

Chelsea captain Reece James felt the visitors should have made more of their early dominance.

“It’s frustrating not to walk away with more,” the right-back told the club’s website. “We had another chance early on after scoring and maybe things might have been slightly different.

“Goals are what make players, make teams, win games and win titles and when the ball isn’t dropping for you it’s tough, especially when you’re playing against tough teams.”