Manchester City centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov escaped a potential red card during his side’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford on Wednesday after a contentious early challenge.
In the 16th minute, Khusanov brought down Brentford forward Kevin Schade as the German broke clear on goal. Referee Sam Barrott opted to issue a yellow card, prompting strong protests from Brentford players and staff, who argued the challenge denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews described the decision as a «big moment,» saying the officials had not applied the rules correctly. Former City defender Andy Hinchcliffe echoed those concerns on Sky Sports, noting that Schade was through on goal with no covering defenders.
Under IFAB Law 12, such an offence is typically punishable by a red card. However, the absence of VAR at the Carabao Cup quarter-final stage meant the decision could not be reviewed, giving City a crucial reprieve.
Manchester City later capitalied on the moment, taking the lead in the 32nd minute through a long-range strike from Rayan Cherki.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that FIFA is set to make its long-awaited return to video games in 2026, years after its split with developer EA Sports.
