‘What if I was a goalkeeper?’ – Kyle Walker breaks silence on controversial Arsenal equaliser against Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has broken his silence on the events that resulted in Arsenal’s equalising goal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Riccardo Califiori capitalised on Arsenal’s quickly-taken free-kick by sending a sumptuous left-footed strike beyond the reach of a diving Ederson and into the top-right corner of Manchester City’s net.

City’s players were left incensed by the nature of the free-kick sent out wide to Gabriel Martinelli, with Kyle Walker out of position and left with no time to get back and defend the phase of play from the winger.

Manager Pep Guardiola spoke after the game that Walker had felt as though he was given no time by referee Michael Oliver to return to position, having been called over by the official to discuss calming down his teammates with temperatures rising.

Now speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Walker has spoken at length about the circumstances that resulted in him being left out of position in the build-up to Arsenal’s equalising goal at the Etihad Stadium via Riccardo Calafiori.

“What I’m saying is I’ve not gone over to the referee. Me and Bukayo (Saka) have not gone over to the referee – he’s called us over,” Walker told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“So if I’m being called over to the referee, he then should wait and allow me to get back in position before the ball is then gone over my head. So if I go over to the referee by my own accord and I’m out of position, it’s my fault.”

Walker continued, “But I’m in position, he’s called the two captains obviously to calm the players down. I’m walking back saying, ‘Lads, concentrate, nothing stupid, make sure we get through this’. The ball is then going over my head.

“If he calls me over, if I go over of my own accord, fair enough. But for him to call both captains over and then not let me get back in position. If I was a goalkeeper, does he let me get back in my net? Of course.

“I’m a defender, I’m the first line of defence he should let me get back in and be set and then blow the whistle.”

Pep Guardiola spoke after the game insisting that in future, Manchester City’s players could request that match officials come to speak to them instead of the opposite, in an attempt to prevent a repeat of such circumstances.

Manchester City’s next Premier League outing will see the club travel to the north-east as they take on Newcastle United in the Saturday afternoon lunchtime slot, hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the new season.