Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov came off at half-time against Bournemouth and was not included against Leicester
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Abdukodir Khusanov
Abdukodir Khusanov
Abdukodir Khusanov was missing from the Manchester City squad to take on Leicester City in the Premier League. The Uzbekistan defender has become a mainstay in the defence since his January move from Lens but was not part of the group that took on Ruud van Nistelrooy's side at the Etihad.
Khusanov's absence has not been described as injury-related but instead a simple case of Pep Guardiola rotating his players. The centre-back was taken off at half-time of the FA Cup win at Bournemouth, although that was seen as a precaution after he had picked up a yellow card in the first half.
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That should mean that Khusanov is available for the Manchester derby on Sunday, although that does not guarantee his selection.
Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias start at centre-back against Leicester, continuing the partnership that came together on Sunday when Khusanov was replaced by Nico O'Reilly.
Two goals for the youngster has earned him his first Premier League start, with Matheus Nunes keeping his place at right-back and Ederson between the posts.
Nico Gonzalez, Savinho, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush make it six changes from the FA Cup game as Guardiola rotates his team, although at least one of those changes is injury-related. Erling Haaland could be out for nearly two months with a knee injury suffered in the second half at the Vitality Stadium.
"[Marmoush] likes to play close to the box. He loves to score, have a sense of goal," Guardiola said on Tuesday. "Definitely. And he has it, yeah. I know the players who have the sense of goal more than the other ones.
"So everybody knows their players have a sense of goal more than the other players. And you have to try to bring them close to the box.
"We need players with other qualities and we have to bring more players with a sense of goal close to the box. That's for sure.
"Because of course Erling's numbers again have been exceptional and he is our incredible threat for many things, for the long balls, for the sense of goal. But we have to adjust for the other players."
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