Pep Guardiola has given honest explanation why Kyle Walker hasn't been playing in his new formation

The long-term future of Kyle Walker at Manchester City has been questioned by PEP GUARDIOLA.

The full-backs in the new formation being tested by the Etihad manager will basically play in midfield by inverting.

Although Guardiola acknowledges that Walker is not a good fit for it, John Stones, Rico Lewis, and Nathan Ake have all done it well in recent weeks.

And there is no time for him to pick it up now, with City pursuing greatness on three fronts during the remaining two months of the season.

Walker has missed his team's previous two Premier League games and will have to wait to find out whether he will be starting in this evening's game against Southampton.

Guardiola said when asked whether Walker might serve as a backup midfielder: “He cannot do it. Kyle will always have pace – he will be the fastest in this room at 60.

“But to play inside you have to make some educated movements and he doesn’t have all the characteristics.

“I'm not going to ask someone who has done what he has done to change.

“He has played as a full-back coming inside with four in the back and has done it really well.

“But with this shape of three in the back and two in the middle he cannot do it."

Walker's current deal at the Etihad has only one year left, and no extension has been reached.

The police's decision to dismiss him without going to court for indecently exposing himself while intoxicated last month did nothing to enhance his chances of finding a new job.

He added: “He will maybe need time to do it and we don't have time.”

Since coming from Tottenham six years ago, he has only only missed three straight league games while healthy once.