Walker can keep pace with City and England

AS the nation busies itself questioning Phil Foden's role and performance against Serbia, another City man went under the radar.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Kyle Walker wouldn't have been at these Euros if he had it his way; he tried to retire from international football first after the defeat to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 and then after the Qatar World Cup in the winter of 2022.

Each time, he was convinced not to call it off by England head coach Gareth Southgate.

That in itself is telling, for it is only just over two years since Southgate left Walker out of an England squad to assess younger options for the right-back role yet Reece James and Trent AlexanderArnold have not made the spot their own. It could be argued that Alexander-Arnold has bypassed it by moving into midfield, but it is hard to think that Southgate would even consider that luxury move if he did not have a quality rightback already in the position where the Liverpool defender has played nearly all of his career.