Kyle Walker's new position shows why Man City were so desperate to keep him this summer

Walker's importance grows

It seems that the chances of Kyle Walker leaving for Bayern Munich have disappeared but there was a point this summer where it felt likely - especially on tour when Manchester City were facing Bayern in Tokyo. Walker was City's captain in Asia as Kevin De Bruyne was still recovering from injury, and now De Bruyne has suffered a long-term injury Walker is the de-facto captain until the team take their annual vote. Walker's turnaround this summer was complete when he lifted the Super Cup in Athens this week.

On the pitch, too, Walker has started all three pre-season games, the Community Shield, the Super Cup and the first two Premier League games - all after falling out of favour for the bigger games at the end of the last campaign. City look light without Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and their injured contingent, but they would be an awful lot more stretched without Walker.

And his showing as an extra right winger on Saturday night vs Newcastle showed another asset he can offer to City that nobody else can this season - pure width on the right. Walker's pace kept Anthony Gordon and Dan Burn in check while allowing Phil Foden to come inside to great effect. At one point, he knocked the ball past Bruno Guimaraes, raced into midfield and spread the ball to Jack Grealish on the left to start an attack. City would be in a huge mess without Walker.

City's show of strength

Pep Guardiola admitted bluntly pre-match that City were not at their best and needed the support of their fans. With five players injured or missing, the most senior player on the bench was Nathan Ake as the injury crisis continues to take hold.

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