Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Young Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov, alongside Max Elleyne, played a key role in the team’s defense during the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal against Newcastle at St. James’ Park.
The 2-0 victory, secured by second-half goals from Antoine Semenyo and Ryan Cherki, gave City a solid advantage ahead of the return leg and extended the team’s unbeaten run to 13 matches.
Elleyne and Khusanov, who made their debut as a central defensive pairing last week against Brighton, helped City become the first team this season not to concede at home against the Magpies in all competitions in 2025/26.
After the match, Elleyne expressed his pleasure at playing alongside Khusanov, noting that they had quickly established strong understanding on the field.
City manager Pep Guardiola also praised Khusanov and the other defenders for their contribution to the team’s success, saying: “Khusanov and Nathan Aké play alongside Elleyne — true defenders who help him a lot. With the ball and with Nico O’Reilly, they played really well.”
Guardiola emphasized that the result of the first leg provides a solid foundation for the return match and highlighted the stability of City’s defense, in which Khusanov played a crucial role.
