“Manchester City” defender encourages Abdukodir Khusanov during the game

"Manchester City" defender Manuel Akanji spoke about his efforts to encourage teammate Abdukodir Khusanov during their Premier League match against Chelsea. Akanji shared his thoughts in a post-match interview.

"The game didn’t start well for Khusanov, but he quickly recovered. It’s never easy making your debut against a team like "Chelsea". We tried to support him, and he got back into the game. I made sure not to put him in difficult situations against strong opponents. I encouraged him, telling him not to dwell too much on his mistakes and to just move forward. For example, I pointed out that in certain situations, he should pass the ball back to Ederson and focus on winning one-on-ones to rebuild his confidence," Akanji explained.

Akanji also praised Khusanov’s understanding of English.

"He told me he understands English better than French, so I speak to him in English. He still needs to improve his English, which is important for a central defender. While he understands it, he can't yet fully express his thoughts. I’m confident he’ll overcome this issue," Akanji added.

It’s worth noting that "Manchester City" hosted "Chelsea" on January 26 in a Premier League match, winning 3-1. Abdukodir Khusanov played for 52 minutes in the game.