Champions hit again after early Khusanov error to safe huge win

Manchester Metropolis overcame a nightmare debut from Abdukodir Khusanov to bounce again from their midweek mauling in Paris and safe a hard-earned victory over Chelsea.

Khusanov, together with Omar Marmoush, was handed a primary begin by Pep Guardiola however early nerves resulted in a blunder that handed Chelsea a third-minute lead courtesy of Noni Madueke.

However Josko Gvardiol levelled earlier than the break and Erling Haaland capitalised on some haphazard goalkeeping from Robert Sanchez to edge Metropolis in entrance halfway by way of the second half.

Chelsea’s early journey had lengthy fizzled out and Phil Foden added Metropolis’s third late on.

It was a formidable response from Guardiola’s males, who should beat Membership Brugge on Wednesday evening to scrape into the Champions League playoffs following their 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain three days in the past.

Early howler from new boy

Khusanov’s first actual involvement noticed him make the error that led to the Chelsea opener.

The Uzbekistan centre-half, a £33.8million signing from Lens this week, didn’t take care of an extended punt ahead and, after permitting it to bounce, may solely nod the ball into the trail of Nicolas Jackson, who squared for Madueke to faucet house.

Noni Madueke pounces on Abdukodir Khusanov’s error and Chelsea take the lead inside three minutes! 🫨 pic.twitter.com/xqg0b6tea5

— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025

The 20-year-old was all at sea and one other error, an under-hit cross for Mateo Kovacic two minutes later, ended with a yellow card after he lunged in on Cole Palmer in an try to win the ball again.

It appeared the ball was following Khusanov across the Etihad pitch however he earned a heat spherical of applause from the house followers after 10 minutes with an outstanding block to stop Jadon Sancho from making it 2-0 after the previous Metropolis man had been performed in by Jackson.

Metropolis have been slowly rising into the sport and Foden fired a shot in opposition to the put up a minute later with Sanchez crushed.

Gvardiol must have finished higher shortly afterwards than shoot wastefully over the bar after he had been discovered by Haaland’s flick on.

In distinction to Khusanov, Marmoush was wanting harmful and the Egyptian thought he had levelled issues with a debut objective after 34 minutes.

The previous Eintracht Frankfurt ahead reacted quickest after Sanchez may solely palm Ilkay Gundogan’s volley right into a harmful space however the offside flag curtailed the celebrations.

Gvardiol ranges

Gvardiol’s runs from deep have been offering Chelsea with an issue and the Croatia defender lashed a half-volley extensive earlier than he grabbed a deserved equaliser for the house facet three minutes earlier than the break.

Gundogan’s clipped cross picked out Matheus Nunes and, though his shot was repelled by Sanchez, Gvardiol latched on to the unfastened ball to fireplace into the web.

Joško Gvardiol fires into an empty web to tug Manchester Metropolis degree! 💥 pic.twitter.com/LeY5IKzCQC

— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025

Guardiola changed Khusanov 9 minutes into the second interval with John Stones approaching.

Marmoush stayed on, although, and remained a risk to the Chelsea backline. And he got here near a debut objective once more after 67 minutes, firing inches over after linking up properly with Haaland.

His end lacked precision, one thing that may not often be connected to Haaland and the large Norwegian confirmed him the way it needs to be finished a minute later.

Haaland capitalises on poor Sanchez positioning

Having latched on to Ederson’s lengthy ball ahead, Haaland held off Trevoh Chalobah, reduce on to his left foot and lifted a beautiful shot over the woefully positioned Sanchez and into the again of the web.

Erling Haaland catches Robert Sanchez off off his line and fires it in! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/IkucihpVmd

— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025

Kevin De Bruyne changed the spectacular Marmoush with 16 minutes to go and performed a component in Metropolis’s third objective, nodding the ball on for Haaland and he poked it by way of to Foden to fit house.