This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker was forced in goal against Atalanta on Wednesday after an injury to Ederson and a red card to Claudio Bravo.
After this crazy fixture, pundit Gary Lineker has made a hilarious claim that Pep Guardiola could make a “natural progression” into using outfielders as goalkeepers.
What did he say?
It truly was a bizarre sequence of events, as both of City’s goalkeepers left the pitch. Now, the injury to Ederson could rule him out of the crucial fixture against Liverpool on Sunday, as he joins a growing injury list.
As for Bravo, the Chile international was only on the pitch for 35 minutes before he received his straight red from referee Aleksey Kulbakov. Walker would then enter the fray and immediately have to save a free kick, which he initially spilled but held onto eventually.
Lineker tweeted after the game: “Will Pep do away with goalkeepers? A natural progression.”
As long as you’re good with your feet, right?
Guardiola has almost reinvented the role of a goalkeeper over the past few years, with his desire to see the shot-stoppers comfortable with the ball at their feet.
It seemed to be part of the reason why he signed Claudio Bravo from his old club Barcelona, as he learned that trade with the Spanish giants. Later on, Guardiola would eventually acquire the services of Ederson, who was known for this ability at Benfica.
The Brazilian is confident in his capabilities to play the ball out from the back and this has been an integral part of City’s play under the Spaniard.
Who knows, maybe we could see a deep-lying centre-back who can use his hands one day.
