Gary Lineker has highlighted how important Kyle Walker is for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.
The 33-year-old is in the middle of his seventh Premier League campaign with the Citizens after he put pen to paper on a contract extension back in August.
Having been at the club since 2017 and having started all 19 of their Premier League games this season, Walker has found himself being the topic of discussion with one former top-flight figure.
Lineker highlights key Walker attribute
Speaking in a recent edition of The Rest Is Football, Lineker had this to say about Walker when discussing who the best defenders of 2023 were.
He said: “Kyle Walker is remarkable. I think he’s very important to Manchester City’s defence because his pace at the back allows them to play the way they do, as is also the case probably with England.”
City paid £50m to sign the England international from Tottenham Hotspur and have since gone on to see the defender make 281 appearances for the club across all competitions.
Lineker’s recent comments are not the first time Walker’s pace has been spoken about as Thierry Henry said back in May that any attacking player that finds themselves in a foot race with the 33-year-old on the pitch may as well give up because they aren’t likely to beat him.
In addition to that, Guardiola said back in September that the right-back’s genetic qualities and physical attributes are unique and make him incomparable.
Taking all of that into account, it’s undeniable that Walker is a very important player for City due to what he offers the team physically in defensive positions.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, it seems likely that if the Citizens end up regaining the three major titles they won last term, their veteran right-back will play a big part in it.
