---
title: "Manchester City: Fans call for changes to the team’s defence"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-fans-call-for-changes-to-the-teams-defence/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Manchester City Football Club"
published: "2019-09-17T19:30:36Z"
modified: "2019-09-17T19:30:36Z"
---

# Manchester City: Fans call for changes to the team’s defence

**Martin Blackburn, [Northern-based Football Writer for The Sun](https://twitter.com/SunMartinB), has claimed that Kyle Walker is among the defenders who could drop out of the Manchester City team for their next game against Shakhtar Donetsk tomorrow night.**

Manchester City-focused Twitter channel [@City\_Xtra](https://twitter.com/City_Xtra/status/1173713662827278336) notified followers of some anticipated team changes, attributing them to Blackburn’s Twitter handle [@SunMartinB](https://twitter.com/SunMartinB).

> Kyle Walker is facing a battle to hold onto his spot in the City team.
>
> Pep Guardiola is keen to give a full debut to Joao Cancelo after confirming he is now ready. There could also be a change at centre back after Stones and Otamendi both struggled at Carrow Road.
>
> \[[@SunMartinB](https://twitter.com/SunMartinB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\]
>
> — City Xtra (@City\_Xtra) [September 16, 2019](https://twitter.com/City_Xtra/status/1173713662827278336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The tweet from [@City\_Xtra](https://twitter.com/City_Xtra/status/1173713662827278336) said that Walker faces a battle to retain his first team place in Pep Guardiola’s line-up, with [summer signing Joao Cancelo](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/manchestercity/man-city-sign-joao-cancelo-from-juventus-with-danilo-in-partexchange-a4206581.html) set to replace him, while there could also be a change at centre-back in place of either John Stones or Nicolas Otamendi.

Manchester City’s defenders have come in for criticism from some pundits in recent days. Tony Cascarino told [talkSPORT](https://talksport.com/football/601745/kyle-walker-manchester-city-tony-cascarino-norwich/) that Walker was “[poor](https://talksport.com/football/601745/kyle-walker-manchester-city-tony-cascarino-norwich/)” and “[way off](https://talksport.com/football/601745/kyle-walker-manchester-city-tony-cascarino-norwich/)” in [Saturday’s defeat at Norwich](https://www.skysports.com/football/norwich-vs-man-city/408026) and expects him to drop out of the team.

On [Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/11811510/mnf-manchester-citys-centre-backs-will-cost-them-the-title), Jamie Carragher said that Otamendi is “[not good enough to play for Manchester City](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/11811510/mnf-manchester-citys-centre-backs-will-cost-them-the-title)“, while Gary Neville feels that Guardiola’s team will relinquish the Premier League title if they persist with Stones and Otamendi at centre-back.

These Manchester City fans on Twitter called for changes to the team’s defensive line-up:

> Walker and Fernandinho at CB. Cancelo right back and Mendy left! The best four we got out there.
>
> — Faisal Balsharaf (@fbalsharaf) [September 17, 2019](https://twitter.com/fbalsharaf/status/1173831676851564549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Just change otamendi that’s our problem
>
> — Sheikh Mansour🇺🇸🇬🇭 (@sheikhmansour12) [September 16, 2019](https://x.com/sheikhmansour12/status/1173714199182282752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

https://twitter.com/akaas07/status/1173715350254424064

> He should be dropped after Saturday
>
> — Craig (@oggy79) [September 17, 2019](https://twitter.com/oggy79/status/1173855702378569728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Play Walker and Garcia at the back with mendy at left back and cancelo at right back
>
> — ashley foulds (@FouldsAshley) [September 16, 2019](https://twitter.com/FouldsAshley/status/1173718942390657024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Walker (then cancelo RB) or Ferna CB instead of Otamendi
>
> — Ren. (@RenMCFC) [September 16, 2019](https://twitter.com/RenMCFC/status/1173714356581949440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Dinho and Garcia at cb for shakhtar cancelo and angeliño at fullback
>
> — Ry (@rst2126) [September 16, 2019](https://twitter.com/rst2126/status/1173724216518160384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Should Guardiola drop the likes of Walker, Stones and Otamendi after the defeat at Norwich? Join in the discussion by commenting below!***