WALKER BECOMING A PILLAR OF PEP’S SIDE AS HE EYES THE BIGGEST PRIZE

AT Manchester City, three men have stood above the rest since Project Restart: Raheem Sterling for his goals, Kevin De Bruyne for his drive and Kyle Walker for his consistency.

Walker is probably the surprise name in that trio. He was in a lonely place during lockdown, at a low ebb in his personal life. There were two high-profile indiscretions, for which he apologised. Since those dark days, the right back has flourished. His performance against Real Madrid last week, when he won his battle with Eden Hazard, is a key reason why City face Lyon in a Champions League quarter-final tomorrow.

He is not one to pay much attention to praise but even he must admit that this has, by and large, been a positive season. Pressure applied by the £60million summer signing Joao Cancelo has been comfortably withstood, just as it was with Danilo before him. Cancelo has struggled, definitely not always in the good books of his manager and often on the bench, but he is coming back stronger. Guardiola believes Walker needs competition and the lack of a rival in his position was key to his form dipping in 2018. But whenever he has lost his place under Guardiola, it has not been for long. The pair have an unusually strong bond, with Walker one of the closest players to City’s manager. He was one of the first within the squad to pick up the phone upon hearing that Guardiola’s mother had passed away in April. Guardiola has noticed similarities with Philipp Lahm at Bayern Munich in the way in which Walker thinks strategically about the game. Walker’s adeptness at carrying out tactical instructions, specifically inverting his full back role, has given him further longevity in this team. Around City, they

scoffed at the notion this week that ‘clear-the-air talks’ had been held surrounding the 30-year-old’s future. He has four years on his deal and wants to play for another seven seasons. He is desperate to force his way back into the England squad. His recent displays will not have done any harm.

City have leaned on Walker’s experience since his arrival from Tottenham in 2017. ‘Before that we had a group of players that was a bit plain and Walker spiced it up with more character,’ wrote one staff member in Pep’s City: The Making of a Superteam. Walker has an understated influence in the dressing room. After a draw at Newcastle in November, when City twice surrendered the lead, Walker stood up. ‘I look at you guys as my family,’ he told the room. ‘We are going to experience ups and downs together.’ The coming days could well be the highest ups they have known. ‘Europe is the one that I want,’ Walker said yesterday. ‘I can probably speak on behalf of the squad and Manchester City. It’s what they need as a club, to put them on that pedestal.’ No pressure, then.