Manchester City captain Kyle Walker: Criticism hurts my mum and dad but fuels fire in me

Kyle Walker is aware of the criticism - what’s more, he's used to it by now - but he has no problem taking the lead in Manchester City’s stuttering bid for silverware this season.

The full-back, hugely decorated since joining City in 2017, captained the team on Tuesday night, when the English and European champions made light work of their Fifa Club World Cup debut against Asian counterparts Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah.

Walker played a pivotal role in the 3-0 victory at King Abdullah Sports City, laying on a sumptuous assist for Mateo Kovavic to grab City’s second.

The win, and the tournament overall, provides Pep Guardiola's side some respite from recent domestic troubles. City landed in the kingdom fresh from Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, when they surrendered a two-goal lead at home.

The draw, extending City’s unwanted Premier League streak to a single victory in six, means they sit fourth in the table, five points from leaders Arsenal.

The fault-finding, from outside at least, has followed.

“I'm always going to get heat; if I'm not doing something right, I get scrutinised,” Walker says. “That's been my whole career, but it gives me the fire to keep going.

“You do see it and I've had a lot of criticism from the fans about me being captain and that it's all my fault. We're a team. We're in a team game. I've said it continuously throughout my career that, if I wanted to play a solo sport, then I'd go and play tennis or golf.

“But I feel being one of the most experienced players and the captain, I'm going to have to take that burden, and it's something I'm going to have to just carry on my shoulders.

“And, as I say to the lads in the [pre-match] huddle, we're here because we went and achieved what we