Joao Cancelo must step up to play crucial role in Man City's Premier League mission

Manchester City suffered crushing disappointment in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, but with a Premier League title on the line they must quickly retrain their focus on the task at hand.

Sitting one point clear at the top of the table and with four games left to play, City know that their Premier League destiny is entirely in their own hands. Take 12 points from 12 and they will retain their crown.

However, they will likely have to go about that task without the help of Kyle Walker. The English right-back was sidelined for three weeks after badly twisting his ankle against Atletico Madrid last month, and after missing City's 4-3 win against Real Madrid last week, he returned to face Los Blancos at the Bernabeu.

READ MORE:Man City must learn from moment that cost them a Champions League final place

Like John Stones in the first leg it became clear that he was not really ready to return, but at a time when his team needed him most he played on through the pain. Walker was immense in the first half, locking down tricky Madrid winger Vinicius Junior to the extent in which the Brazilian failed to complete any of his four attempted dribbles.

Towards the end of the half Walker was hobbling and by the hour mark he could take no more. After 72 minutes he went down writhing in agony, and Oleksandr Zinchenko replacing him. Pep Guardiola shifted Joao Cancelo over to the right flank, his 'natural' position but one which he has seldom started in for City over the past two seasons.

Cancelo has undoubtedly been one of the best left-backs in the world this season, but there have always been niggling doubts over the defensive side of his game. Cancelo has a tendency to 'switch off' from time to time, and in Madrid that