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Manchester City could have kept Erling Haaland or Jeremy Doku on in another scenario at Arsenal but they may not have been the team's biggest loss
Manchester City were stuck in paralysis at Brighton when a quadruple change on the hour mark floored them. With new threats and energy to suddenly contend with, the Blues panicked.
Abdukodir Khusanov mistimed a meaty challenge and was booked, then from the resulting free-kick Matheus Nunes handled in the box for a penalty. James Milner tucked it home and City had lost their advantage.
From there it was Brighton who took the game to City, but it is worth remembering that things were level late on when Khusanov was forced off with an injury. Dissecting the game, Guardiola made specific reference to the defender's quality as he lamented the late Brighton winner.
"We attacked in the moment and pressed really well, the clearance was short and we didn’t close the gap on the side and they had fast players," he said. "Khusa can handle it because he is so fast but he had a knock and that’s why he could not continue."
City may well have similar feelings after conceding another late game-changing goal at Arsenal. Khusanov had been outstanding in the first half at the Emirates to mop up any issues, using his incredible pace to recover the ball and making important tackles when needed.
Three starts in a week caught up with him though - Guardiola only recently said that he cannot play every three days - and he was taken off at half-time to be replaced by Nunes. The Portugal international wasn't bad in any sense and City very nearly held on for what would have been a hugely impressive win.
Plenty was made of Guardiola's decision to take off Haaland at the Emirates, as well as Doku. If their replacements, Nico Gonzalez and Savinho, had held the ball better in injury time then City may have gone on to see out the game.
However, even if Nunes could not be faulted for the goal the fact that Martinelli's touch as he collected the ball took him into the space where Khusanov may well have been had he still been on the pitch leaves City with even more frustration. It's not a criticism of Nunes, yet Khusanov's stock continues to rise this season - even when he is off the pitch.
Those close to the player were convinced that he would show himself to be an important player this year after a strange start to his City career.
Just five games into the Premier League campaign, he already looks like somebody City cannot afford to take off in matches if they can help it.
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