Kyle Walker's struggles this season for Manchester City continued as he was omitted from the FA Cup clash against League Two side Salford.

Walker has struggled for form and fitness this season, and has been kept out of the side by Rico Lewis for most of the campaign. When he has started, it has coincided with poor results, with no win for the captain when starting since City's Carabao Cup third round clash with Watford in September.

The Salford tie felt like an opportunity for Walker to get some rhythm back in his game for the second half of the season, but he was notably absent from the squad who arrived at the Etihad against the fourth tier side. Walker's absence was put down to 'tactical' reasons rather than injury or fitness, suggesting Guardiola has decided he is not needed for the cup tie.

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Guardiola had been asked about Walker on Friday, saying: "Maybe he isn’t playing the minutes like in the past. Rico is playing really well, of course the central defenders, and Josko is playing well. I decide for that."

And when asked about links between Walker and a move to Saudi Arabia, Guardiola said: "I don't know."

Elsewhere, no other players were rested as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Manu Akanji, Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol were all on the bench. Guardiola named an experimental side with just two recognised defenders in Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Nathan Ake, with Matheus Nunes and possibly Ilkay Gundogan down for a defensive role.

Striker Divin Mubama was handed a debut after a summer switch to the academy from West Ham.