Abdukodir Khusanov adds to Manchester City injury concerns following Liverpool clash | OneFootball

Manchester City may have a new concern to deal with in their rearguard following the crucial victory over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side produced a dramatic late turnaround at Anfield to claim all three points, keeping their Premier League ambitions alive and cutting into Arsenal’s lead at the summit back to just six points.

The visitors had to show resilience after falling behind in the second half, before Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser and a stoppage-time penalty from Erling Haaland sealed a memorable win on Merseyside.

The result provided another major boost following the club’s emphatic semi-final success over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup to book a place at Wembley against Arsenal next month. However, as has been a recurring theme, the victory was accompanied by fitness concerns.

City already have a number of players sidelined, with Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones and Savinho all unavailable through injury in recent weeks. That situation has forced Guardiola to rotate options regularly, particularly amid a congested fixture list.

Against Liverpool, the backline was again called upon to withstand significant pressure, particularly after the break, and it was one of those defensive moments that ultimately led to a worrying development involving one of the club’s most impressive names.

Following an unfortunately clash with the knee of Gianluigi Donnarumma as part of a vital defensive block to deny Liverpool a goal, Abdukodir Khusanov was forced out of action with a head injury and possible concussion.

While manager Pep Guardiola was unable to provide an update on the Uzbekistan international during his post-match media duties, he did issue further high praise on the central defender.

“[Abdukodir] Khusanov… His first time in Anfield. Coming from Uzbekistan, six months in France, coming here, first time here, against [Hugo] Ekitike, [Mohamed] Salah… WHAT A GAME HE PLAYED, that guy,” said Guardiola.

The injury concern now leaves Guardiola with another defensive uncertainty ahead of a demanding stretch of fixtures, and the midweek clash with Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Manchester City’s medical staff are expected to assess the defender in the coming days, particularly given the protocols surrounding head injuries and potential concussion, and decisions over his availability will likely be made cautiously.

For Pep Guardiola, the focus will be on balancing the positive momentum from a crucial Anfield victory with the need to keep his squad healthy and competitive, as Manchester City continue to fight on multiple fronts heading into the decisive weeks of the season.