Kyle Walker sends blunt Man City message as Liverpool take advantage

Kyle Walker has sent a Manchester City rallying cry after the defending champions' mini-blip approached a mini-crisis. City are now five points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

That's because they went down 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the 5.30pm kick-off. Erling Haaland had put Pep Guardiola's side in front but the Seagulls fought back after the break to run out deserved winners with goals from Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley.

Those goals condemned City to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions. That is the first time that has happened in Guardiola's storied managerial career.

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Liverpool took full advantage by winning the 8pm kick-off 2-0 at home to Aston Villa to open up a fiive-point gap at the summit. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah scored either side of half-time as the Reds made it four wins on the run and 15 from the opening 17 games of Arne Slot's reign.

After City's loss, captain Walker said: “This is the time where I want to see the players and real characters come through. It’s all good for the last eight years when we’ve been winning and dominating games.

“But now it’s tough, this is the time where us as the senior members have to pull the players through who haven’t been here for a while and show them the foundations of this club.

“We’ve built those foundations over the last eight years and that will get us through this patch. It’s football and with the players and manager we have, with the club the fans, it will pass.

“We need to weather the storm and make sure after the international break we come back fit and ready to go for an important part of the season.”

City host Tottenham Hotspur in their first game back after the international break before while Liverpool head to basement boys Southampton.

The title rivals will then meet at Anfield on Sunday, December 1.