Pep Guardiola casts doubts over Kyle Walker's Manchester City future

Weeks of speculation regarding Kyle Walker's growing absence from the Manchester City lineup has been explained by his manager, Pep Guardiola. 

Walker has started just two of City's last six games and has been left out of the starting XI in the last two. 

England international John Stones has been preferred to Walker as the person to take on the role of stepping into midfield to partner Rodri when City are in possession. 

A task Guardiola clearly believes Walker is incapable of carrying out at a high level.

Explaining his decision to leave Walker out of the team for recent games, Guardiola said "the reason why is tactical." 

Pressed for further explanation, Guardiola continued:

 "He (Walker) cannot do it. To play inside you have to make some educated movements.

"He doesn’t have every one of the characteristics. He has played as a full-back coming inside in the past with four at the back.

"He has done really well but this shape of three at the back and two in the middle, he cannot do it.”

Guardiola stressed the fact that all players must earn the right to play and no one has an automatic starting shirt.

"Nobody has a guarantee with me. They have to earn it and sometimes we need a different shape for the way we build up or defend. Some players adapt better than other ones. They take it personally but we are not against them. We just need something and try to use it."

Walker joined Manchester City in 2017, swapping London for Manchester as he left Tottenham for a reported transfer fee of £50M, making him the most expensive English defender at that time. 

He has gone on to establish himself as one of the most reliable right-backs in the world, winning multiple major domestic trophies with the club, including four Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and four League Cups.