• Home
  • Soccer
  • England defender Kyle Walker still not fit ahead of World Cup, says Guardiola

England defender Kyle Walker still not fit ahead of World Cup, says Guardiola

Kyle Walker will head to the World Cup without any match action in six weeks after being ruled out of Manchester City's clash with Brentford on Saturday.

The England right-back has not played since suffering a groin injury that subsequently required surgery in the derby against Manchester United on October 2.
That has not prevented him from being named in manager Gareth Southgate's squad for the tournament in Qatar which begins a week on Sunday.
City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has also been included despite only returning from a two-month lay-off following a shoulder operation in the midweek Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea. He had previously played just 14 minutes of football this season.
City manager Pep Guardiola said: "You saw Kalvin in the last game, he is ready. Kyle - not yet."
Guardiola is not concerned about the involvement of either of them after their recent fitness problems.
He said: "It is a decision from Gareth Southgate and I support, 100 per cent, his decisions. I am not involved.
"After Saturday the players belong to the national teams, they don't belong to us. I am not worried at all."
Guardiola, speaking at a press conference, was guarded over whether Erling Haaland might return to City's starting line-up this weekend.
The prolific Norwegian has featured in just one of the club's last four matches - when he came off the bench to score a late winner against Fulham last weekend - due to injury and illness.
"We will see," Guardiola said. "We have training this afternoon. He is a little bit better."
Meanwhile, Brentford boss Thomas Frank admitted it doesn't get any tougher than their trip to face City on Saturday.
"Is it going to be difficult? It'll be unbelievably difficult," Frank told a press conference.
"They have an almost complete squad and added Haaland who will be destroying goal records in the coming years. A lot has been said about him - he is a machine. They are an unbelievably difficult side to close down, but I back us to do something.
"We have never, ever gone into a game believing that we're not capable of winning. It's most likely the biggest challenge and we're looking forward to it."

More Articles