Kyle Walker has been sidelined with a groin injury since early-October and underwent surgery to fix the problem, but Pep Guardiola said the 32-year-old is ‘not ready’ to play as Manchester City travel to face Leicester City on Saturday.
Guardiola’s men could go top of the Premier League table with a win at the King Power Stadium, but they’ll have to do it with another makeshift defence due to injuries. Walker absence means John Stones or Manuel Akanji will have to move from centre-back to the right.
How will Manchester City fare against Leicester City?
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Pep said Walker was doing “better” but was “not ready for Leicester.” Although Stones started at right-back in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, Vital Man City predict Manuel Akanji will get the nod against the Foxes.
Walker has made eight appearances across the board this season and was a regular prior to the injury, so he’s been a big loss. The 32-year-old’s last outing in a City shirt came in their 6-3 win over Manchester United nearly four weeks ago, but it remains to be seen when he’ll be back.
Guardiola has refrained from switching Joao Cancelo to right-back in Walker’s absence as he doesn’t trust Sergio Gomez, Nathan Ake or Aymeric Laporte on the left. He must be regretting not signing a fullback to go straight into the starting eleven, however, as one injury has caused square pegs into round holes.
In other news, Pep Guardiola delivers Erling Haaland injury update
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