03 September 2023 , 21:30
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Kyle Walker says Manchester City are ready to “run away with the title” after maintaining their 100 per cent start to the season.
Treble winners City made it four Premier League wins from four with their 5-1 demolition of Fulham as they set their sights on a fourth successive title triumph. Pep Guardiola's side won the title by 19 points in 2017-18, with a record total of 100 points and five games to spare.
Walker, City skipper in the absence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne, revealed he has challenged his team-mates to repeat that feat this season.
“It was important to get off to a good start,” said Walker. “We're always playing catch up. I said that to the lads at the start of the season 'why don’t we try and run away with it?', like we did in the 2017-18 season?' rather than playing catch-up or waiting for people to drop points.
“We've got off to a good start, a 100 percent record in the Premier League. Now we go to the internationals, make sure we look after ourselves there, perform well for our countries and make sure that we hit the busy period full steam ahead.”
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Walker reckons City's squad is just as strong as last season, with the additions made in the summer, despite losing Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte.
“It's the Treble winning side,” said Walker. “So can you get better? It’s hard. But do I think the recruitment and the players they have brought in are just as good?
“I very much think so. Mateo Kovacic is a proven winner. You don’t win four Champions Leagues and play for Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Chelsea if you can’t play.
“Then you look at Jeremy Doku and I still think he's a raw talent. He's young and he needs to learn and the manager to coach him but it takes time.
“Josko Gvardiol, he’s class. At 21, to be doing what he's doing and to have achieved what he has, the sky's the limit, and Matheus Nunes is a great ball carrier.
“So the recruitment has been very good. Now it’s down to us to put the faith in the players that the manager has shown and show that on the field.”