There was bad news on the injury front during England’s 1-nil defeat to Brazil overnight. Kyle Walker hobbled off with an apparent hamstring injury inside the opening 20 minutes of last night’s friendly at Wembley Stadium. Manchester City will now be sweating over their captain’s availability for their crucial Premier League match against Arsenal and beyond following last night’s friendly.
Speaking after his side’s defeat to Brazil, Gareth Southgate told the media that Kyle Walker would have tests on his injury in the coming days. The England manager told the media: “We don’t know yet. He is feeling something, but he is not a player who is injured very often, so he’s not quite certain what it is. So it is something we have to assess in the coming days.”
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Manchester City will now be sweating on the condition of Kyle Walker. Their captain has a pivotal role to play in the world champions chase for history this season. His pace and experience at right-back are crucial elements of City’s defence. Walker would likely have had a crucial role to play in City’s upcoming game against Arsenal. The battle between Vinicius Junior and Kyle Walker could also be a crucial factor in the two teams Champions League quarter-final next month.
Kyle Walker off injured less than 20 minutes into England’s game with Brazil.
Absolutely ridiculous players are featuring in meaningless friendlies at this point in the season.
— Amos Murphy (@AmosMurphy_) March 23, 2024
Questions also have to be raised about the wisdom of playing international friendlies during such a busy period of the season. While nations need to prepare for the upcoming European Championships, adding more fixtures to the calendar does appear a short-sighted decision.
Manchester City will now be sweating on Kyle Walker’s availability after his injury against Brazil. He has a crucial role to play for Pep Guardiola’s side, and the champions will be hoping his injury isn’t too serious.
