“Maresca’s mysterious decision”: The reason behind Husanov’s unusual positional switch revealed
«Manchester Siti»’s first official match of the new season — a heavy 0:3 defeat to «Arsenal» in the English Super Cup — sparked heated debate around the club. Many fans were surprised by new head coach Enso Mareska’s decision to deploy Abduqodir Husanov, who had become the “Citizens’” best centre-back last season, on the right flank. What extraordinary circumstances lay behind this unexpected tactical decision?
Shock injury before the match: Why did Husanov move to the wing?
According to reports from respected British sources — esteemedkompany.com and The Sun — Husanov’s appearance on the wing was not an experiment planned in advance by Mareska, but a forced measure:
"During the warm-up session held before the match against «Arsenal», starting right-back Mateush Nunesh unexpectedly suffered an injury. The situation was so serious that the medical staff had to spend a long time comforting the Portuguese player. As a result, Mareska was forced to urgently deploy Abduqodir Husanov at right-back.", - The Sun journalist Oli Gamp.
Husanov and the situation on «Manchester Siti»’s defensive line
Indicator | Status and details |
Super Cup result | «Arsenal» – «Manchester Siti» (3:0) |
Husanov’s position | Right-back (forced emergency change) |
Nunesh’s condition | Unexpected injury in training, currently recovering |
Next match | Against «Bornmut» in the opening round of the Premier League |
Husanov’s status last season | One of the club’s three best players (at centre-back) |
A major test before the Premier League opener: Who will play against «Bornmut»?
Husanov also initially played on the wing last season, but after returning to the centre, he was recognized as one of «Siti»’s most reliable players. However, experts have noted that he was unable to fully demonstrate his abilities on the wing in the Super Cup match:
"If Mateush Nunesh cannot fully recover by the first-round match against «Bornmut», Enso Mareska will once again be forced to deploy Abduqodir Husanov at right-back. The head coach is facing serious squad problems from the very beginning of the 2026/2027 season.", - esteemedkompany.com expert Adam Marrett.
The position that the 22-year-old Uzbek defender will occupy as his primary role in the new Premier League season depends directly on the speed of Nunesh’s recovery and Mareska’s subsequent decisions.
Do you think Abduqodir Husanov is more effective at centre-back, or can he also prove himself on the wing under the new coach?
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