Kyle Walker has had a difficult couple of months for Manchester City and England.
Matt Le Tissier slated Walker as “bang average” for his displays at Euro 2024 for the Three Lions.
Kyle Walker would also have been gutted to end up on the losing side in an England shirt in yet another European Championship as Spain won 2-1 at the Olympiastadion.
For Manchester City this season, the 34-year-old has made a mere four starts in the Premier League.
At the start of the campaign, the fact that the veteran missed City’s pre-season tour of the United States meant that he was naturally eased back into the side.
Walker was ruled out of the Sky Blues’ games against Wolves and Southampton with an injury.
Kyle Walker will be upset seeing Antoine Semenyo complete most Premier League take-ons last weekend
In Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola revealed via journalist Mike Minay that he took the bold decision of starting the six-time Premier League despite him not training ahead of the game.
Guardiola lauded Walker for making the effort to play and claimed that a player who is as uniquely gifted as a physical specimen does not necessarily need to train to start a match.
However, the Englishman’s opponent in Antoine Semenyo completed the most take-ons (six) out of any player in the Premier League this weekend — according to Squawka.
Walker, who is widely praised as an expert at keeping even some of the best left-wingers in world football quiet would be horrified if he comes across this particular statistic.
As per Sofascore, the former Tottenham right-back was dribbled past thrice during the clash.
Considering three players in the aforementioned top 10 of Premier League stars completed three take-ons goes in Stephy Mavididi, Jacob Ramsey and Kaoru Mitoma indicates how much Walker struggled against Semenyo.
Taking into account that over the course of his time at the Etihad Stadium, the treble-winner has rarely ever been dominated by a winger, perhaps he should be handed the benefit of the doubt.
Furthermore, considering Pep Guardiola confirmed in the aftermath of the encounter that the seasoned campaigner was not fully fit.
However, Walker has made far too many defensive errors since last season and such a trend has continued in most of his appearances for the club this campaign as well.
With that being the case, perhaps the City skipper should not just be worried about the statistic in question but his form as a whole.
Walker was not only terrorised by Semenyo but also Adama Traore, who demolished him in a footrace and if not for Ederson Moraes’ heroic save, he could have cost Manchester City a goal against Fulham.
As far as his decision-making is concerned, the two-time FA Cup winner also played Anthony Gordon onside in the build-up to the eventual penalty he scored in Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle United while also letting Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes dart past him to score a header past Ederson.
The four-time Carabao Cup champion also failed to clear his lines well and gave Watford attacker Tom Ince the chance to score a late stunner against City in what was an otherwise solid display from him as a makeshift centre-back.
Semenyo’s latest exploits against Walker indicate a worrying trend of him becoming vulnerable at the back, with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Luis Diaz also giving him problems in the games at the Etihad Stadium and Anfield respectively last season.
Man City could be open to Walker sale to Saudi amid Al-Ahli links
Less than two weeks ago, it was reported that Manchester City could be open to selling Walker at the end of the 2024/2025 season.
The report claimed that Al-Ahli are interested in signing the Manchester City legend, who is believed to have been given a tour of their facilities during the FIFA Club World Cup last year.
Walker is believed to fancy a move to the Saudi Pro League and City will not stop him in his tracks from leaving.
Especially if Rico Lewis well and truly cements himself as the Sky Blues’ starting right-back as he has for much of this season.
Even if Walker has set his sights on heading to Saudi Arabia in the summer, he would be hoping to end his time at Manchester City by having a successful season on a personal and collective basis.
However, the decorated defender’s latest performance coupled with his displays for the past 18 months have suggested that it would take a huge turnaround for him to rediscover his best self while donning sky blue.
