Walker nets new job to save day for Pep’s ten-man City

MANCHESTER City needed unlikely stand-in goalkeeper Kyle Walker to help preserve a 1-1 draw in a dramatic clash with Atalanta at Milan’s San Siro.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly for Pep Guardiola’s men when Raheem Sterling scored an early goal.

But Gabriel Jesus missed a penalty before half-time, the hosts equalised after the break and then substitute goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was sent off late on, with Walker sent on to wear the gloves for the closing minutes. City’s goal was a delight, typical of the Premier League champions. Bernardo Silva played the ball in from the left, and Jesus flicked a sublime backheel into the path of Sterling, who curled into the net.

They were then handed a golden chance to double their lead just before half-time. A Sterling free-kick struck Josip Ilicic on the arm, with VAR adjudging it to be handball. But Jesus made a hash of the penalty, carelessly dragging the ball wide of the target.

And City were made to pay for the miss just after the break. Alejandro Gomez whipped in a brilliant cross, and Mario Pasalic, on loan from Chelsea, thumped a superb header into the net. The real drama was still to come. Bravo, who had come on at half-time for Ederson – the Brazilian having picked up a minor injury – rashly rushed out of goal, fouled Ilicic, and was dismissed.

Ruslan Malinovskiy fired the resulting free-kick at Walker, who made the save with minimal fuss.

City are not quite in the last 16 of the Champions League yet – this was not exactly the ideal preparation for Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool.