Abdukodir Khusanov should not be Man City's fall guy this time, his stats are telling
Abdukodir Khusanov has found himself fighting for a first-team role at Man City this season.
Over eight of this season's Premier League games, the Uzbekistan international has only started in four.
It is far and away from the situation he found himself in under Pep Guardiola last season, with the 22-year-old routinely in the Spaniard's starting XI from January 2026 onwards.
Under Enzo Maresca, he has now been put back on the periphery, being utilised as a sporadic option rather than a guaranteed starter.
But, over the last two games in all competitions, Khusanov has started.
And in the two fixtures, he emerged on top in two statistics that showcase why he should be starting more often.
Abdukodir Khusanov gives Enzo Maresca a selection headache
Against AEK Athens, Khusanov got on the ball more than anyone else, and when you are a centre-back for Man City, being comfortable in possession is quite important.
As per FotMob, the 22-year-old completed the joint-most passes with 78, while only Rayan Cherki (108) had more touches than his 96.
In that game, Khusanov also topped the charts for Man City when it came to the number of sprints, with a total of 18.
That performance did earn him the right to a back-to-back start for the first time since August.
And while City did lose to Aston Villa, it was through no fault of the Uzbekistan defender.
Khusanov once again led the way in the stats, this time coming out on top defensively.
He ended the game at Villa Park with the joint-most defensive contributions (16), with only Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara levelling with him.
The City star also topped the list for most tackles, coming in with a total of eight during the match, all while being played as a right-back rather than centrally.
After these two latest displays, Maresca should think twice before deciding not to reward him with a third consecutive start.
He has earned it.
Who could Khusanov start ahead of?
Khusanov will want to play minutes, but he would likely prefer that to be in his natural centre-back position.
When it comes to who he could replace, Marc Guehi is the most plausible candidate.
The Englishman has been mistake-ridden as of late, and is making silly errors that are costing his team.
Perhaps a rest and a run on the bench can push Guehi to get back to form, while in the meantime, Khusanov can continue to ride the momentum of his form.