‘Show your character’ - Kyle Walker sends blunt message to Man City team-mates after Brighton loss

Kyle Walker has called on Manchester City’s players to ‘show character’ following the 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

The Premier League champions made it four defeats in a row in all competitions as they lost to Brighton, despite leading 1-0 at half-time. But for the second game in a row, City let a one-goal advantage slip, with Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley on the scoresheet in the latter stages.

It’s a worrying run for City, who have fallen five points behind leaders Liverpool, have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and suffered defeat in the Champions League to Sporting Lisbon in midweek.

Few have embodied City’s slump more that Kyle Walker. The captain has suffered with injury in recent weeks and is still not back to full fitness yet. His performances have also dipped sharply and last week’s struggles against Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo were repeated again at the Amex when marking Kaoru Mitoma.

But amid a poor run of form personally and for the team, Walker has called on City’s players to stand up and be counted.

“This is the time where I want to see the players and real characters come through,” the 34-year-old told Sky Sports after the game. “We were arriving at the ball a little bit late, but I think it’s the period we’re going through at the minute.”

“There are many reasons [for our dip in form]. How you’re feeling on a day-to-day basis," he continued. "It’s been tough, but we’ve been fortunate over the past eight years to have a lot of success here. You have to show character. You have to stick your wellies on and get through the mud. 

“It’s football and with the players and manager we have, with the club the fans, it will pass. We need to weather the storm and make sure after the international break we come back fit and ready to go for an important part of the season.”

City return from the international break with a game against Walker’s former club Tottenham Hotspur, before hosting Feyenoord in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s side then face a daunting trip to Anfield and a first meeting with Arne Slot’s Liverpool.