Manchester City welcome Sevilla to the Etihad Stadium in Wednesday’s Champions League clash and Kyle Walker is expected to miss the meeting due to injury, but Pep Guardiola gave a positive update on his condition in Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
The 32-year-old has been out of action since early-October after a problem with his groin forced him to undergo surgery, but it remains to be seen if he’ll return before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Kalvin Phillips is training on grass but could miss their next three games, so Walker being behind him makes it more unlikely.
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As per the Gulf Times, Guardiola told reporters: “We’ve been impressed with Kyle’s recovery but he is late compared to Kalvin (Phillips).” Walker has made eight appearances in all competitions this season, last featuring in City’s 6-3 win over Manchester United.
It was in that Manchester derby on October 2 that saw the England international injure his groin, forcing him to come off after 40 minutes. He’s missed five Premier League games and three Champions League outings since then but may not be back for even more weeks.
In Walker’s absence, John Stones and Manuel Akanji have shared the responsibility at right-back with varying degrees of success, so Guardiola does have cover. He’s likely to trust on the versatility of his many centre-backs until the 32-year-old returns, but it won’t be for a while.
In other news, Pep Guardiola reveals when Kalvin Phillips could return for Man City
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