MANCHESTER CITY new boy Abdukodir Khusanov endured a nightmare start to his debut.
The Uzbek defender, 20, joined from RC Lens in a £34million deal.
The 18-cap ace was thrown straight into Pep Guardiola’s starting XI for today’s clash with Chelsea.
His debut began in nightmare fashion, however, when his botched header gifted the ball to Nicolas Jackson, who subsequently helped set up Noni Madueke’s third minute opener.
Things then went from bad to worse just moments later, as another misplaced pass allowed Chelsea to break again, with Khusanov’s subsequent foul earning him a yellow card.
Commentating on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: “Oh it’s a moment when you feel like crying for the lad… it’s a nightmare for him.”
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Neville, 49, then dramatically added: “This boy is 20-years-old and these three minutes will be as difficult as he has faced in his life.”
Things did not get much better for the youngster as he was hooked by Guardiola in the 54th minute with John Stones replacing him.
Prior to signing for City, young defender Khusanov played 13 times in Ligue 1 this season.
He has signed a four-and-a-half year deal with City, and taken the No45 shirt made famous by Mario Balotelli.
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Upon signing, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City, a club that I have enjoyed watching for a long time.
“This squad is full of the best players in the world, and I can’t wait to meet them and play alongside them.
“And of course Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches ever and I am so excited to learn from him and improve my game even more.
“This is a very proud moment for me and my family to be joining a great club like Manchester City and I’m more than ready for this challenge.”
City boss Guardiola also threw Khusanov’s fellow new boy Omar Marmoush straight into his starting XI.
The forward joined City in a £64m deal earlier this week.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
