Kyle Walker has now admitted that he would like to avoid a repeat of what happened at Manchester City last season.
The 33-year-old spoke to Mike Minay for BBC Radio Manchester.
So, what did Kyle Walker say? Let’s take a look…
Kyle Walker sends message to Manchester City teammates
Well, the England international does not want to see Manchester City slip far behind in the Premier League title race once again – like they did against Arsenal last season.
Of course, the Citizens made up that eight point gap on the Gunners, winning 12 Premier League games in a row to secure a third successive title with two matches to spare.
However, Walker – who recently praised Rico Lewis – does not want to see that happen again, and would prefer Manchester City to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the Premier League.
The £53m England international said: “We’re in a good place, a good position. I don’t want to be chasing people down, letting people get a good lead and having to go on a mad run.
“The lads need to make sure they’re dedicated to the profession and they need to do it in the Christmas period. We might get some time off, but first and foremost think about your team.”
Spoken like a true captain – as he seems to be.
Manchester City – of course – have the talent to claw back huge gaps, but a more experienced side than Arsenal surely would not have slipped up last season, so Walker is right to demand more from his teammates.
Manchester City can create a Premier League gap in December
The festive period represents a golden opportunity for Manchester City to build the gap Walker wants to see.
Pep Guardiola begins December with a tricky test against Tottenham, but the remaining Premier League fixtures this month look fairly winnable.
Manchester City take on Aston Villa, Luton Town, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Everton and Sheffield United after Sunday’s clash against Tottenham.
The treble winners are more than capable of winning all of these games, so as long as the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal struggle in December, Manchester City could enter 2024 with a very healthy lead at the top of the Premier League.
