Kyle Walker moment sends Man City a strange reality they must accept

Manchester City is struggling with injuries; Some key players who are fit, such as captain Kyle Walker, are also not fit.

Let’s start with the positive aspects.

But it will be ignored kyle walker When he came forward afterwards, he showed his worth and leadership qualities. of Manchester City worst home defeat Pep Guardiola. He did the same at Brighton.

As captain, he remained true to his word to support his teammates when things went well and protect them when things went wrong. As always, he says the right things that captains should do publicly.

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This protection against some difficult questions may shield some of their younger colleagues from scrutiny as they investigate. The impact of this will not be known immediately, but it will certainly be appreciated in the locker room.

Walker returned from injury ahead of schedule earlier this month following a harsh statement made by Guardiola in his pre-match press conference. He is clearly far from his best but he puts his body on the line for his team when they need him; No one can doubt his commitment to City.

And despite all the grumbling on social media about his captaincy, he leads by example and that shouldn’t be ignored – nor should his teammates elect him as captain.

However, it cannot be ignored that it is difficult.

Injuries and fitness are a very important factor in this; his game is based on his strength and power, so when that isn’t quite there it becomes more difficult for any player to be at their best. It would be like taking away Erling Haaland’s finishing or Kevin De Bruyne’s vision.

Take that back and Walker will return to City as the right-back he has relied on for years. They will be hoping that Timo Werner on Saturday or Adama Traore leaving him behind last month is all injury related and not a sign of the times.

The problem is that it remains to be seen when Walker will be back to his best. He rightfully earned a place on Rico Lewis’ bench at the start of the season and has shown nothing to suggest he should be ahead of the in-form youngster. Injuries make it necessary for both of them to play. If everyone was fit it would be interesting to see who wore the shirt each week.

Walker used a two-year contract offer from Bayern Munich last summer to persuade City to give him a three-year contract. He captained City to the title and the Club World Cup last season, attacking down the right, but his influence this term has waned for a variety of reasons.

At 34 years old and with 18 months left on his contract, Walker has missed nine of 19 games this season and is no longer the reliable defender he once was. Walker will likely be the first name replaced as Guardiola signs a new contract in a bid to rebuild the squad and leave City in a strong position.

Lewis is the logical successor, of course, so perhaps attention should turn to preparing him to be first choice rather than sticking with an inconsistent Walker.

The fitness of both is the short-term priority and getting Walker fit again is the next goal. After that, it may be time to reduce the reliance on the England man while maintaining his obvious influence on the team.

He fiercely protects his place and legacy; 100 England caps is a major personal ambition and while he still backs himself to perform at the highest level, he will not give up his position easily. “No one is going to make me retire,” he said about his place in England in 2022, and he will take that stance at City as well.

But if current form continues once the injury crisis is over, it may be time for Walker and City to start passing the torch at right-back.