Manchester

This week's episode of You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker focused on captains.

The Manchester City defender spoke about the good and bad he has experienced in the game.

What is it like to be voted captain?

"It is an honour.

"It's not the manager picking the teacher's pet. For the lads to actually vote you and say they want you to lead them out and to represent them - not just on the field but off the field when decisions need to be made - with the group that I have got, it’s a great honour.

"It was something I really enjoyed last season. I was a little bit nervous because we won the Premier League three times in a row and I was thinking, 'don’t let it be me the one that doesn’t win it!' But we went and did that special four.

"Hopefully we can do it again and hopefully the lads are pleased with me and with the job that I am doing."

What other responsibilities come with being the captain at Man City?

"I’m a big part of making sure that I’m a bridge between the manager, staff and players.

"Everyone in that building is not going to get along at the same time, it’s impossible. So when there is conflicts and disagreements, it is about sorting it out.

"I have got four other players behind me in Ruben [Dias], Kevin [de Bruyne], Bernardo [Silva] and Rodri who help me massively in making decisions.

"I don’t like to be the one that makes the one [big decision] or it is my way or no way - I like to have opinions from the rest of them."

What is the non-footballing side of being a captain?

"I went to the Salvation Army [charity] the other week and it was good.

"I was there for 30-40 minutes, had a few pictures, etc.. and it meant a lot to them. As footballers, sometimes when you are in your bubble, you actually don’t realise that 30 minutes of going to hospital, having a walk around and taking a few pictures [means] you have made a family's Christmas.

"There is a lot behind the scenes as a captain but you do it and you do it with pride."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

You will have your own opinion of the fairness of the Manchester City winning goal against Wolves on Sunday, but it was another one of those strangely monotonous City performances. Pre-Pep Guardiola, this would have been considered a masterclass of control, featuring 80% possession away from home. All very impressive but it is not particularly unusual these days or at all startling.

Wolves started quite brightly with one big plan: try to get the ball into the space behind stand-in left back Josko Gvardiol. He is not a great defensive full-back, but he is a fabulous attacking one and he will be an even better centre-back in time I reckon.

Every player knows when they are being targeted, when they are considered the weak link by the opposition players and coaches. It feels offensive and he answered them politely but firmly by smashing a worldie into the top corner to draw City level.

Even City's alleged weak links can do that sort of thing. This is why they are still just favourites for the title even if it was a bit tedious at times until John Stones won it for them in the final seconds, as that big bully Bernardo Silva roughed up the keeper.

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Tottenham have placed an £80m price tag on 25-year-old Spain right-back Pedro Porro, who is being tracked by Manchester City. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Former Barcelona boss Xavi has held talks with Manchester United about the possibility of replacing Erik ten Hag as manager. (Mail), external

Meanwhile, United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are tracking RB Leipzig and France defender Castello Lukeba, 21. (RMC Sport - in French), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

The latest episode of The Football News Show assesses the major contenders for this year's Ballon d'Or award, which will be announced next week.

The Athletic's Sam Lee puts forward the case for midfielder Rodri, who helped Manchester City to a fourth successive Premier League title and Spain to Euro 2024 victory earlier this year.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League game against Sparta Prague (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Kevin de Bruyne and Kyle Walker are not yet available for selection as they are still recovering from their respective injuries.

• Expanding further on De Bruyne's problem, Guardiola said: "It's not a big issue but he doesn't feel completely fine. He's not 22 years old any more - he has to be fit for his football and completely fit. If he does not feel comfortable, he cannot express his incredible potential. He's training better but he said to me he does not feel good, so if he does not feel good, he should take his time."

• Guardiola said "it is what it is" about the fact Kyle Walker returned from England duty with a knee injury, but he was more open about his feelings when John Stones returned injured in March after an international friendly: "I never was so angry than in that moment. Never before was I so disappointed. It was a friendly game, we were playing [Champions League] quarter-finals against Real Madrid and in the Premier League to try to win it. It was a friendly game [with England], so for players to come back injured, I didn't like it at all."

• City conceded the first goal at Wolves on Sunday, but for the second straight Premier League game came back to win: "It is not the ideal situation, I prefer to go 2-0 up than going down. But sometimes I hear 'this cannot happen' - of course it can. Football is like that."

• On the new Champions League format: "Every week there are incredible games. We have more than 30 teams and just eight qualify, so I am sure there will be top teams who will need extra games to qualify. [The away games] are not easy so the games we have at home, we have to close out [with wins] otherwise it will be difficult to finish in the first eight."

• On Wednesday's opponents Sparta Prague: "They have the same points as us and in the game they played in Germany against Stuttgart, they created a lot of problems. I didn't know about them until starting to watch them in the past couple of days and I have a good impression."

Follow Tuesday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Rico Lewis says he has gained huge confidence from the trust shown in him by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in the opening two months of this season.

The versatile 19-year-old has started all but one of City's games in all competitions so far this campaign, having been used slightly more sparingly in his previous two seasons with the first-team squad.

Asked if he "feels more trusted" by Guardiola this season, England international Lewis said: "It definitely feels it because obviously I'm playing on the pitch, but that's not to say that he didn't trust me when I wasn't playing.

"We've had so many good players who can play in so many different positions and it's difficult to fit everyone in at once.

"But in terms of my confidence, it's massive for it. To have a manager who feels like they can play you in most games is amazing for me."

Lewis, who made his first-team debut for City in August 2022, told a news conference on Tuesday that Guardiola's influence stretches far beyond the first team at City.

"It's difficult coming from the academy to the first team anywhere, but his [Guardiola's] values have been instilled throughout the academy," added Lewis.

"The patterns we did when we were in the youth teams, we tried to mirror the first team. You can't exactly do it because you don't have that quality of players when you're that young, but just the little details we do learn from being young - it massively helps when you get older and you start to understand the patterns he wants to do as well."

Alex Turk
Fan writer

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Erik ten Hag has found a winning formula that he must persist with to overturn Manchester United's fortunes on the pitch.

Now, I know what you're thinking.

"Alex, United have beaten 13th-place Brentford 2-1 at home. Relax, chump."

That's true. But hear me out.

Plenty of intrigue has swarmed Ruud van Nistelrooy's Old Trafford return. Can one of United's greatest forwards sprinkle some of his goal dust (see what I did there?) on Ten Hag's misfiring attack?

From what I and 73,737 others witnessed on the pitch on Saturday, he may already be making the desired impact.

The scoreline does not tell the whole story. United were dominant as they faced more adversity square in the face. Ten Hag orchestrated a genuinely encouraging performance all around. He needed that.

As for that winning formula. I'll get to the point. Marcus Rashford was a joy to watch on the right flank - defensively and offensively.

He showcased his range of passing - a criminally underrated trait - to connect with Alejandro Garnacho on the opposite flank and cause havoc for Brentford's vulnerable back line.

And Garnacho, what a menace. The zestful Argentina winger just doesn't stop. Shot after shot after shot. He will consistently score and assist goals simply due to how often he gets himself in the positions to do so.

Then there's Rasmus Hojlund as United's number nine finds his stride. If Van Nistelrooy exudes his influence onto anyone on the pitches of Carrington, it will be him.

You would be forgiven if you thought for a split second that the Dutch icon had found a spare strip in the dugout and produced that delightful winner.

Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee are exciting squad options, but Ten Hag has found his first-choice front three. He must allow them to continue growing together.

Find more from Alex Turk at Stretford Paddock, external

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

And breathe.

Arsenal lose, Manchester City win, and Pep Guardiola’s side - despite all the talk of being "rattled" and "shaken" by Mikel Arteta’s side at the Etihad Stadium last month - have maintained their unbeaten start to another enthralling season.

A famous man (Erling Haaland) once said: "Stay humble, eh" in the face of the Arsenal manager and this weekend’s results have proven to be the perfect summary of such an instruction.

Another, not so famous man (me), also said that a team’s ability to remain calm in the face of adversity would go a long way to deciding which team would emerge victorious over the course of 38 matches this season.

Bournemouth defeated Arsenal, who again had a man sent off, while City came from behind to defeat Wolves and it was John Stones once more coming to the rescue.

As has been the case in numerous performances over the opening eight matches, Manchester City were far from their best and their defensive unit was faulty in parts. But their insistence at sticking to their game plan and chipping away at a 10-man Wolves rearguard ultimately paid dividends, and the post-goal celebrations showed what it meant.

Guardiola and City know that matches and results at this stage of the season mean little and even just glancing at the Premier League table is a pointless exercise up until around February.

“Honestly, we don’t think about them [Arsenal]," said Jack Grealish after the win at Molineux. "Listen, if it was later in the season, maybe it could be seen as a big weekend. But it’s October."

That will be City's attitude throughout a season that is guaranteed to have plenty more twists and turns. Focusing on themselves, sticking to their game plan, and most importantly, remaining humble.

This isn’t a "rattled" Manchester City side. This is a serial-winning, trophy producing machine that will not give up until the very end - and will certainly not get carried away any time soon.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external