Abdukodir Khusanov had a great derby, Guardiola was praised...

The 4th round of the English Premier League ended with a city derby between Manchester City and Manchester United. The Etihad Stadium hosted the first major match of the season.

Serious concerns were observed at City's camp before the match. Due to the fact that 13 of the team's players were sidelined with various injuries, Pep Guardiola was deprived of the opportunity to conduct training according to a full plan. However, the efforts of the club's doctors and physiotherapists proved effective, and many players returned to the ranks. The inclusion of young Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov among them brought particular joy to the fans.

The 21-year-old missed national team training camp and matches due to an injury sustained in the match against Brighton. He focused on full recovery initially and started in the derby.

Guardiola effectively utilized all available opportunities in the squad selection process, preparing his team for a high-spirited derby. The game was entirely under City's control: Gianluigi Donnarumma guarded the goal, and Phil Foden, who has returned to the lineup, opened the scoring. The team's top scorer, Erling Haaland, showed himself again and scored a brace.

It is worth noting that the right-wing defense, which was unreliable in the previous two defeats, was entrusted to Abdukodir Khusanov. His efforts were highly praised not only by experts but also by Guardiola himself.

The Spanish coach said in a post-match statement:

"I know the importance of the Derby, and it's a great honor to bring pride to people." The team acted in a single system. Erling Haaland has been performing brilliantly since joining the club, and this season looks even stronger. Phil Foden was an important figure we were missing, and his return is a great achievement for the team.

As for Abdukodir Khusanov: he was physically excellent, firmly covered the wing, and hardly lost the ball. Only in some situations did he rush to make decisions due to excess energy. He also had a great derby and greatly helped City maintain the tempo of the game, neutralize the opponent's attack, and launch fast attacks," said Guardiola.

Manchester City will now host Italian champions Napoli in the first round of the UEFA Champions League on September 18th.