There was a surprise yesterday when Manchester City’s starting lineup was announced yesterday. Kyle Walker returned to the starting lineup after being out of action since the international break with a knee injury. While Walker wasn’t at his best yesterday, he does deserve credit for putting his hand up to play during City’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
As it stands currently Manchester City is currently navigating its way through an injury crisis. Kyle Walker was one of the players who had recently been missing due to injury. He returned to action at the Vitality Stadium against Bournemouth. Although City lost their first game of the season, Walker did put his hand up to help his team. City’s captain deserves credit for that.
Playing Walker did give Rico Lewis the opportunity to rest. Although Lewis did come on late during yesterday’s match Lewis hasn’t had much of an opportunity to get any rest this season. City’s injury issues have meant that Lewis has played the vast majority of games this season. But he has looked like he could do with a rest of late and he got that yesterday. That is one positive to take from Kyle Walker starting yesterday’s match.
Speaking after yesterday’s match, Pep Guardiola revealed that Walker had only trained once ahead of yesterday’s game. He told the media: “Kyle [Walker] has gone 18 or 19 days and only one training session with us and today he was there.”
There is no doubt that Kyle Walker’s performance yesterday wasn’t his best. He had a tough day at the office up against Bournemouth’s quick attacking players. But it was a valiant effort from Walker to put his hand up to play given the injury crisis his team is facing. City’s captain deserves credit for that. His performance didn’t match his valiant effort but that’s a different discussion. But for trying to help his team Walker should be given credit for that act.