On a night of mistakes, the first was the worst but not the costliest. And for that, Abdukodir Khusanov could thank Robert Sanchez. The £33m defender’s Manchester City career may yet be defined by the opening few minutes but a traumatised figure ultimately ended a winner.
First impressions can prove deceptive, and he must hope so, but Sanchez, 17 months into a seven-year contract, again looked a liability whose latest blunder allowed Erling Haaland to score in a turnaround. City, seemingly beginning with the potential to descend into crisis, ended up victorious to leapfrog Chelsea.
