Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits he was unfair with Abdukodir Khusanov when handing him an instant start against Chelsea on Saturday.
The new arrival from Lens was at fault for Chelsea's opening goal, though grew into the game as City eventually won 3-1.
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Guardiola said: "Khusanov should not have played; he should have taken more time. It's not easy against Chelsea in the Premier League when you come from another country and can't really communicate with the teammates.
"He arrived without training and still has to figure out what to do and the process around it ... Imagine going through what Khusanov has experienced and what happened, 'Oh God!'"
New City striker Omar Marmoush also said of Khusanov: "Khusanov is an exceptional player and I would like to congratulate him for his debut."