Manchester City are currently holding onto their slender advantage from the first leg of their Champions League semi final, having played out a 0-0 draw in the first half of their clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Cityzens welcomed back full back pair Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo, and while many expected a free scoring second leg in the same vain as the first, both sides have offered better defensive solidity, while some wasteful finishing has left the scoreline goalless at the break , and the tie finely poised.
But, there was one man singled out by watchers as the major difference from the first leg.
Kyle Walker caps happy return
The return of Kyle Walker has provided a massive boost for Pep Guardiola, with the Englishman’s pace having largely nullified the electric Vinicius Junior, something that both John Stones and Fernandinho struggled against last week at the Etihad.
And, having made a pair of crucial tackles too, many were quick to point out just how good the England veteran remains.
Kyle Walker gets better and better each year and somehow never loses a step.
β Sam Farley (@FarleyWrites) May 4, 2022
Kyle Walker is letting Vini know, his name’s not Fernandinho.
β Chunkz (@Chunkz) May 4, 2022
Kyle walker is the best full back on the planet and the best the prem has ever seen π
β Leon (@leonht6) May 4, 2022
Madrid are probably 2-0 up if Walker isn’t playing ffs, he’s a cheat code
β Ω (@utdcynical) May 4, 2022
walker is unreal
β . (@afcIeon) May 4, 2022
This Vini Jr & Kyle Walker battle should have its own episode of Drive to Survive
β Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT (@3cbPerformance) May 4, 2022
Kyle Walker is unbelievable
β Arsenal Presser (@APresserV2) May 4, 2022
How good would Kyle Walker be with average pace?
β Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) May 4, 2022
Terrific clash between 2 of the fastest footballers alive. Vinicius Jnr is fast, but ‘you’ll never beat Kyle Walker’.
β Gary Lineker ππ (@GaryLineker) May 4, 2022
Readmore:
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tips: Premier League preview, predictions & odds
Real Betis vs Barcelona betting tips: La Liga preview, predictions and odds
Manchester City betting odds, next game:
Manchester City’s latest videos
31 GOALS IN A WEEKEND?! | Man City have an incredible few days – see all goals here!
Four games, four wins, 31 goals and two trophy lifts: it has been aβ¦
2022-05-03T21:00:20Z
REAL MADRID TRAINING | One last push for the Champions League final!
City have set off for Madrid ahead of their Champions League Semi-Final game againstβ¦
2022-05-03T19:00:11Z
Manchester City latest news
Premier League table
| # | Team | PM | D | P |
| one | Manchester City | 3. 4 | 63 | 83 |
| two | Liverpool F.C. | 3. 4 | 64 | 82 |
| 3 | Chelsea F.C. | 3. 4 | 39 | 66 |
| 4 | Arsenal F.C. | 3. 4 | 13 | 63 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3. 4 | twenty | 61 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 36 | 5 | 58 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 35 | 7 | 52 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3. 4 | one | 49 |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 35 | -8 | 44 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 35 | -16 | 43 |
| eleven | leicester city | 33 | -6 | 42 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 3. 4 | 3 | 41 |
| 13 | Aston-Villa | 33 | -two | 40 |
| 14 | Brentford F.C. | 35 | -eleven | 40 |
| fifteen | Southampton F.C. | 35 | -17 | 40 |
| 16 | Burnley F.C. | 3. 4 | -fifteen | 3. 4 |
| 17 | Leeds United | 3. 4 | -3. 4 | 3. 4 |
| 18 | Everton F.C. | 33 | -twenty | 32 |
| 19 | Watford F.C. | 3. 4 | -37 | 22 |
| twenty | Norwich City | 3. 4 | -49 | twenty-one |
| player | Team | goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Muhammad | Liverpool F.C. | 22 |
| Son Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 19 |
| Ronaldo, Christian | Man Utd | 18 |
| Jota, Diogo | Liverpool F.C. | fifteen |
| mane, sadio | Liverpool F.C. | 14 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 |
| Tony, Ivan | Brentford F.C. | 12 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace | 12 |
| DeBruyne, Kevin | Manchester City | eleven |
| Saka, Bukayo | Arsenal F.C. | eleven |
| Mahrez, Riyadh | Manchester City | eleven |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea F.C. | 10 |
| Bowen, Jarrod | West Ham United | 10 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Man Utd | 10 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford F.C. | 10 |
| Pukki, Teemu | Norwich City | 10 |
| Sterling, Rahem | Manchester City | 10 |
| raphinha | Leeds United | 10 |
| Vardy, Jamie | leicester city | 10 |
| Smith-Rowe, Emile | Arsenal F.C. | 10 |
| player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bednarek, Jan | Southampton F.C. | 0 | 10 |
| Tarkowski, James | Burnley F.C. | 0 | 10 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 10 |
| Firpo, Junior | Leeds United | 0 | 10 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Man Utd | 0 | 9 |
| Gallagher, Connor | Crystal Palace | 0 | 9 |
| Neves, Reuben | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 9 |
| Brownhill, Josh | Burnley F.C. | 0 | 9 |
| Mings, Tyrone | Aston-Villa | 0 | 9 |
| Xhaka, Granite | Arsenal F.C. | one | 8 |
| McCominay, Scott | Man Utd | 0 | 9 |
| Salisu, Mohammed | Southampton F.C. | 0 | 8 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford F.C. | 0 | 7 |
| Richarlison | Everton F.C. | 0 | 8 |
| Pogba, Paul | Man Utd | one | 7 |
| Alonzo, Mark | Chelsea F.C. | 0 | 8 |
| Moreno, Rodrigo | Leeds United | 0 | 8 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston-Villa | 0 | 8 |
| McGinn, John | Aston-Villa | 0 | 8 |
| Joelinton | Newcastle United | 0 | 8 |
| player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Muhammad | Liverpool F.C. | 13 |
| Alexander-Arnold, Trent | Liverpool F.C. | 12 |
| Robertson, Andy | Liverpool F.C. | 10 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea F.C. | 9 |
| Pogba, Paul | Man Utd | 9 |
| Bowen, Jarrod | West Ham United | 8 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 8 |
| Kulusevsky, Dejan | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 |
| Son Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal F.C. | 7 |
| Barnes, Harvey | leicester city | 7 |
| Mbeumo, Bryan | Brentford F.C. | 7 |
| I cancel, Joao | Manchester City | 7 |
| DeBruyne, Kevin | Manchester City | 6 |
| Saka, Bukayo | Arsenal F.C. | 6 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Man Utd | 6 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford F.C. | 6 |
| Anthony, Michael | West Ham United | 6 |
| Madison, James | leicester city | 6 |