Kyle Walker has said that the Manchester City defence must stick to doing their jobs regardless of the pressure that they are currently facing.
This season, City have shipped 20 goals in 17 Premier League games while in the entirety of the previous campaign, they had conceded 33.
Speaking to talkSPORT (20/12/2023), Kyle Walker has given his perspective as a defender.
Kyle Walker gives Manchester City defenders a simple instruction
The 33-year-old also touched on how he has been singled out for criticism plenty of times so far this season.
Things have been far from rosy at the Etihad Stadium after coming back off a treble-winning season.
Now, Kyle Walker has given an insight into how he believes Manchester City have played recently.
“Teams are thinking now that they can come and play against us and do what they do, which is full credit to them. I think, especially the Liverpool, Tottenham and Palace games, we are always defending.”
“That is not me sticking up for the defence, we are not killing games off like we used to where we’d get three or four goals. Now we are defending on a knife edge. But listen, us as defenders need to deal with that pressure because sometimes, we need to hang in games and save the day, sometimes”, he told talkSPORT.
Kyle Walker must show his leadership qualities now
In recent games against Crystal Palace and Luton Town, it seems like misunderstandings have occurred at the back due to a lack of communication, especially between Walker and Dias.
As Kyle Walker understands that Manchester City have been under the cosh recently, his role as the side’s current captain should be to organise the backline, both on and off the pitch.
Being as experienced as he is and wearing the armband, the Englishman must showcase his leadership skills at a time of need for Pep Guardiola’s men.
After all, the former Tottenham Hotspur defence has seen how Vincent Kompany used to keep his partners at the back in check to ensure they were an impregnable unit.
Kyle Walker must try to do the same as the longer the Sky Blues continue to ship avoidable goals, the more difficult it will become for them to contend for major trophies this campaign, which would be far from ideal.
