TALKING POINTS PRE MANCHESTER CITY (H): WALKER

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Right-back looks ahead to test against Man City

2026-04-22T11:00:00.000Z

TALKING POINTS PRE MANCHESTER CITY (H): WALKER

Right-back looks ahead to test against Man City

2026-04-22T11:00:00.000Z

Right-back looks ahead to test against Man City

Kyle Walker believes it's important that the Clarets play with 'pride for the shirt and the fans' ahead of the team's final 5 games of the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking to the media ahead of Wednesday night's contest against his former side Manchester City, the defender acknowledged it will be a tough task facing Pep Guardiola's title chasing team and discussed learning lessons from this season and not wanting to let the fans down.

REFLECTIONS ON FOREST DEFEAT

“I think first half; it was a pretty even game from where I’m playing on the field.

“We go in, fortunate one nil up, but you take them away from home. Sometimes you have to snatch a goal, and we snatched it at the right moment.

“Then the second half I think we’ve taken our foot off the gas, they’ve made some changes, they’re fighting for just as much as we’re fighting for in the Premier League.

“They got the goals at vital times and it kind of knocked the wind out of our sails. I think that’s probably been a recurring thing throughout this season. Where one goal goes in, another one goes in, and its heads down and we’re trying scramble our way back into the game.

“It’s been tough this season, but I think a lot of us can learn from that and that’s me as well.”

PLAYING FOR THE SHIRT

“It’s got to be about pride, playing for the shirt, playing for the fans. Making sure that we can end the season on a high. I’m not saying that we’re going to go out and win every game up until the end of the season, please God we do. But realistically, we have to be real with this, and it’s going to be tough.

“We need to go and make sure that we finish on a high, whatever the outcome may be and that starts tomorrow.”

TALKING POINTS PRE MANCHESTER CITY (H): WALKER - Image 1

ON WEDNESDAY’S OPPONENTS

“They’re fighting for the title. I can assure you that they’re going to put their foot to the floor and they’re going to go for it because that’s what they need to do and that’s in their DNA.

“We have a job to do no matter the result; we need to make sure that we can walk off that pitch being proud and the fans can get behind us and clap us off the pitch being proud of us for the performance that we put on.

“It’s going to be a tough task of course we know that but it’s not an impossible task.”

LEARNING VALUBALE LESSONS

“I think you learn each and every season as a professional footballer. You learn a little bit about yourself internally and what you’re built for. It’s all good when you’re at the top and you’re winning leagues; that’s the easy part of it.

“This has probably been the most challenging season I’ve had as a professional. Just understanding a different side to the game. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed. I’d have enjoyed it a lot more if we were middle of the table, completely safe, and not in a potential relegation battle. But it’s something that I’ve learnt and this group of players, they are young, and it’s been a tough season for them. However, like myself it’s been valuable because they can learn and hopefully, whatever may be, go on to learn from this in a positive way – as much as it’s been negative.”

NOT WANTING TO LET THE FANS DOWN

“I think you’re a supporter through thick and thin. In football there’s ups and downs, and as much as they might be disappointed, I can assure you that each and every one of the lads are really trying.

“Sometimes in football, either the better team wins or you don’t really have the luck on your side. Sometimes you can look at yourself as an individual and your team as a collective and think what can we do that’s better.

“The fans have been class. There’s been certain moments which is understandable, they pay their hard-earned money to voice their opinion, and they’re allowed to do that.

“We know ourselves when we go into that dressing room that we’ve not just let ourselves down sometimes, we’ve let the fans down more importantly, and the Club down. But it’s football you take the rough with the smooth and there’s another game to put it right. We need to make sure that we finish this season very strongly and give ourselves the best chance, whichever one it may be.”