Kyle Walker claims Manchester City consider themselves back at the bottom of the mountain again this season.

City scaled the heights last term as they became only the second English team to win the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Now, as City prepare to begin the defence of their European crown at home to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, Walker has revealed manager Pep Guardiola wants them to prove themselves all over again.

The England right-back said at a press conference: “It’s our job to stay motivated. We’re at a massive club for a reason, because the manager believes in us and we’re all great players.

“It comes from within that you have to keep going. The hunger is still definitely in the changing room and from him as a manager as well. He still wants to win more.

“You can see what he is like in games and training. He doesn’t settle for second and we need to follow in his footsteps because he has managed some great teams that have won fantastic things.

“What we have done is in the past now. It is a new season, you draw a line under it.

“The manager did a diagram for the first game of the season. We start at the bottom of the mountain and we are climbing to the top.

“Our flag will always be at the top because we have won the Premier League and Champions League but we have to go again and again. It is what separates the good teams from the great teams.”

Walker has captained the team so far this season and looks likely to retain the armband following a squad vote to find a permanent successor to the departed Ilkay Gundogan.

Walker would not reveal who came top in the vote, which has taken place in recent days, other than to confirm he has been nominated as one of the group of five senior players who make up the captaincy group.

However, with the other main contender for the job, Kevin De Bruyne, currently out injured, it would be a surprise if the 33-year-old did not lead out the team for the Group G clash against Red Star.

Walker said: “The captains’ vote has come in and the five captains that have been chosen that will lead the team for the season and make sure all checks and fines are paid up.

“I don’t think the order really matters but it’s down to myself, Kevin, Rodri, Ruben (Dias) and Bernardo Silva.

“I’ve been very honoured (so far) and it’s a privilege to lead this special group of players out.

“I will continue to do that and hopefully lead by example on and off the field to ensure we are collecting the trophies at the end of the season.”

The Champions League returns this week with all four Premier League sides kicking off their campaigns having had very different relationships with this competition in recent seasons.

Manchester City are out to defend their crown, whilst Arsenal and Newcastle are back after lengthy absences, although Eddie Howe’s side have had by far the longer wait at 20 years.

Manchester United, meanwhile, will be looking to bring Erik ten Hag some respite from a disappointing start to the domestic season.

The PA news agency looks at the four sides the English clubs will face first.

Manchester City v Red Star Belgrade (Tuesday)

Red Star Belgrade clinched a record 34th league title in comprehensive fashion last season, finishing the campaign unbeaten and dropping only 14 points along the way.

They had to contend with the resignation of their manager, the former Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic, in August 2022 after the team were eliminated in the Champions League play-off round, though his replacement Milos Milojevic enjoyed a seamless transition as the club cantered to a sixth straight crown.

This season has seen another managerial change with the club appointing the Israeli Barak Bakhar, whose Maccabi Haifa side were responsible for Red Star’s Champions League elimination last August.

Central to last season’s success was winger Aleksandar Katai who weighed in with 19 goals, though with the country’s top stars increasingly been lured to foreign teams, the club is acclimatising to a new reality in which virtually none of the current Serbia side play for them, an unthinkable situation until recent years.

The club had to be bailed out in April by over £2million of government money, a month after they had settled  an outstanding hefty tax bill. It all means Bakhar’s team has been assembled on a budget and could struggle against treble-winning City.

AC Milan v Newcastle (Tuesday)

On paper, Newcastle could not be facing Milan at a better moment, coming off the back of their humiliating 5-1 defeat to city rivals Inter on Saturday.

Reports in Italy suggest that manager Stefano Pioli will respond by altering his line-up with former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic, who has started all four league games and scored twice since moving to Serie A, in line to be dropped in favour of summer signing Samuel Chukwueze.

England international Fikayo Tomori could also return in central defence after missing the Inter thrashing through suspension.

The 2021/22 Serie A champions had made a solid start to the season prior to the weekend with three wins from three, having adapted well to the loss of Sandro Tonali – who has recovered from injury and is available – following his move to St James’s Park.

Pioli’s team have been predictably roasted by the Italian press since Saturday’s humbling loss and are under pressure to make a fast start to their European campaign.

Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven (Wednesday)

PSV romped into the group stages with a 5-1 win in the second leg of their play-off against Rangers, but it came off the back of a disappointing campaign last season under the now departed Ruud van Nistelrooy.

They were ultimately unable to recover from a poor first half of their Eredivisie season, despite beating eventual champions Feyenoord 4-3 in September and winning 2-1 at Ajax in November which saw them go top.

Form deserted them either side of the World Cup and though they largely righted things they were unable to keep pace with an astonishing 13-game winning run from Feyenoord from February onwards.

Van Nistelrooy walked out in May after winning the KNVB Cup citing a lack of management support amid a reported player revolt, and former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund boss Peter Bosz is the man now tasked with winning the club’s first title since 2018.

Bayern Munich v Manchester United (Wednesday)

Manchester United fans sang “we’ll see you next season” to transfer target Harry Kane when their team played at Tottenham in April but they had not expected it to be in the colours of Bayern Munich.

The England captain will be reuniting with an old foe from the country where he made his name sooner than he might have imagined and does so with four goals under his belt from his first four Bundesliga games for the champions.

Bayern are second in the league after conceding an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.

Thomas Tuchel won this competition with Chelsea in 2021 and the comprehensive manner in which Bayern were eliminated by Manchester City in last season’s quarter-final was a source of bitter personal disappointment.

Injured pair Kingsley Coman and Raphael Guerreiro are back in training ahead of the game against United, with the latter still yet to make an appearance since signing from Dortmund.

Pep Guardiola has challenged his Manchester City side to achieve something special and win back-to-back Champions League titles.

The treble winners begin the defence of their European crown as they host Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City finally put years of near-misses behind them to win the competition for the first time last season but, while Guardiola is proud of their achievements, he feels their mission is not yet over.

The City manager said at a press conference: “I’d like to say that for our club to win the Champions League is incredible – the first time in our history – but, in perspective, how many teams have won the Champions League once?

“A lot have won two, three, four, five. In perspective, we did nothing special. It’s just one.

“Let’s go. Let’s try to win tomorrow against a team so aggressive, so fast up front.”

Guardiola is viewing the challenge as nothing different to past seasons, although he accepts the pressure of trying to defend the trophy will be easier than when trying to win it for the first time.

“It’s most difficult to win the first one,” he said. “But every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League. Nothing changes from before.

“The same for Red Star tomorrow. It depends on our performance and our level.

“We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes.

“But always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step.”

City reached the European summit, and capped a glorious treble, when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the final in Istanbul in June.

Yet the club have not sat back and dwelt on their success, adding the UEFA Super Cup and starting the new Premier League campaign with five successive wins.

Guardiola admits he has not even watched back the final, which was won with a single goal from Rodri.

He said: “People say we won it and it’s done. It’s not done. They’re happy, we’re happy. Every time we come here, people take pictures with the four trophies.

“That makes us so happy, you cannot deny, but if I wanted to live for the memories I wouldn’t be here. I’d be at home or on a beach.

“I didn’t watch the game, no. Not at all. The competition gives us a new challenge so let’s at least try – and I don’t have any doubt we will try.”

Pep Guardiola praised the impact of Jeremy Doku after the summer signing from Rennes scored his first Manchester City goal to help the champions recover to beat West Ham.

City fought back from a 1-0 deficit at half-time to level within seconds of the restart, Doku cutting inside Vladimir Coufal with excellent footwork and sliding beyond Alphonse Areola for his first goal for City.

Silva and Haaland struck in the final 15 minutes to ensure City maintained their perfect start and stayed top of the Premier League with a 3-1 triumph.

All that had looked less likely when James Ward-Prowse headed in from Coufal’s cross in the first half to give West Ham a deserved lead and put them on course to overtake Guardiola’s side in the league.

The manager said he had not expected such an immediate impact from the 21-year-old Doku, who cost £55million to sign from the Ligue 1 side in the final week of the transfer window, and feared there was a shyness to his performance when he made his debut against Fulham before the international break.

Guardiola watched that game remotely from Barcelona whilst he recovered from back surgery, but since returning to Manchester has been impressed by the progress the Belgium international has made following the 5-1 win against Marco Silva’s side.

“I was in Barcelona, I had the feeling that he played a little bit shy (against Fulham),” he said. “He’d just arrived, had two or three days training, with a team that won the Treble. Maybe he was a little bit in this way.

“But today, no. (I said) use your quality as a winger. One against one, one against two; go. If you don’t have the feeling, pass back to Josko (Gvardiol) and play again.

“Today was from the first minute incredible, aggressive, great determination, arrived many times to the byline. Many, may good things he’s done. Really, really pleased. We thought the quality was there and today he started to prove it.

“When you buy a young player like him for many years (contract), we have to be patient. We cannot expect, I didn’t expect the second game for City to play like he did today. The way he played today, I don’t remember from a long time ago something like that.

“There are processes that he has to learn. Always we are there to help him. At Manchester City, every player has to be (himself). All the players here have a lot of quality.”

City have won all five of their league games this season as they seek an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.

They were placed under pressure by West Ham for a period in the second half as David Moyes’ side went close through Michail Antonio, Emerson and Kurt Zouma, with Ederson in goal producing a string of fine saves.

“I would say West Ham had more chances in the second half than the first,” said Guardiola. “We created against a team that defends so deep and really, really well. We created a lot of chances in the 90 minutes.

“I’m so proud of the team. It’s great win for us, for the problems (injuries) we have in the squad. It doesn’t matter, the guys always respond well.

“We spoke at half-time, don’t be affected by the result because you’re playing really, really good in the first half. In the second half we were lucky to start and score a goal immediately, we had to be patient then and we had our chances, they had their chances. But really, really good in the way we played.”

Moyes reflected on a game in which his team ran the European champions close but ultimately did not have enough to avoid going down to their first defeat of the season.

“Our other games have had a lot similarities,” he said. “Chelsea missed a penalty kick, then Mick breaks through and scores to make it 2-1. Small margins in football. To be fair, the early season ones have gone for us.

“Today we played against a top team and we’ve done an OK job. Bits l liked, bits of it I didn’t like. But overall I have to say the players did a brilliant job.

“We tried to make it difficult, we always do against City. I think you have to be really clinical and also really clinical defensively as well. You can’t afford to make many mistakes.

“I thought the first goal came at a bad time. I thought their second goal was a mistake and we should have dealt with that much better. It changed the game really at that point.”

Manchester City needed two late goals to put down a brave resistance from West Ham and seal a 3-1 win at the London Stadium to stay top of the Premier League.

Bernardo Silva gave the champions the lead for the first time 14 minutes from the end after latching onto a superb pass from Julian Alvarez, before Erling Haaland completed the job with a well-taken finish as West Ham pressed for an equaliser.

Earlier James Ward-Prowse had given David Moyes’ side a first-half lead that had them on course to overtake City at the top of the table, heading home from Vladimir Coufal’s cross for his second goal since joining in the summer.

Jeremy Doku, making just his second start, levelled with an expertly taken individual effort seconds after half-time, as City took charge of a difficult situation to send the hosts to their first defeat of the season and maintain their own perfect start.

West Ham survived a scare after just seven minutes and they had the heroics of Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola to thank. First, Rodri found space from a corner and thumped a far-post header at goal that the goalkeeper did well to push away.

The ball dropped to Haaland whose shot was blocked on the line by Soucek, sticking out his chest and bouncing it clear with his shoulder, before finally Reuben Dias’s effort was tipped over brilliantly by the goalkeeper.

The hosts went close themselves when Jarrod Bowen’s corner was cleverly flicked on by Soucek at the near post and fractionally missed the head of Nayef Aguerd as he stole in to finish.

City had West Ham largely penned inside their own half, probing but failing to find the critical pass. Haaland hooked an effort wide after finding room to get on the end of Josko Gvardiol’s cross, then Rodri looked to do it all himself when he carried the ball to the edge of the box and curled a right-footed effort, but his shot arched tamely and was easily gathered by Areola.

The hosts took more of a grip as the half wore on, and when their chance came it was ruthlessly taken.

The ball was given away wide on City’s left by Doku and West Ham broke down the flank with speed and purpose. Coufal was given space to dash into, and as his out-swinging cross arrived into the box there was Ward-Prowse stooping low to guide his header into the corner beyond Ederson.

City’s response was swift and should have yielded an instant equaliser. Doku, looking to make amends, cut inside Coufal on the left and crossed along the ground for Haaland who failed to make good enough contact to sneak it past Aguerd who shovelled it off the goal line. Phil Foden struck left-footed from range but was denied by a crowd of claret and blue shirts as West Ham saw the half out.

It took the champions just 40 seconds to level after the break. Doku received it wide near the left touchline and looked up to find little on inside the box.

Instead he drove Coufal backwards into the area, standing him up and slipping inside with a deft right-foot touch before rolling it inside Areola’s far post in one cleverly executed motion.

City were buoyed. Alvarez hit the post from a free-kick, then Haaland volleyed left-footed from 10 yards after being teed up Rodri’s exquisite chipped pass, a strong right hand thrust into the air from Areola denying them the lead.

Then came West Ham’s turn to go within a whisker, Michail Antonio bursting beyond Dias in a foot race from Lucas Paqueta’s probing ball but taking a fractionally heavy touch at the crucial moment to allow Ederson to smother.

Suddenly the hosts were on top. Emerson spotted a gap in the heart of City’s defence to run into, his effort deflecting narrowly wide, and from the resulting corner Kurt Zouma’s thumping header required a sensational diving save from Ederson.

With 15 minutes to go, City led for the first time and it was the vision and touch of Alvarez that made it. He received the ball near the edge of the box from Silva, who dashed forward and was brilliantly picked out by Alvarez’s chip. Aguerd was inches from intercepting with his head, but it landed back with Silva who dinked it into the corner beyond Areola.

Haaland was denied at close range when getting on the end of Kyle Walker’s cross, West Ham’s goalkeeper adding to a string of impressive saves.

But the Norwegian would not be denied. In the final minutes as West Ham pushed forward, Silva broke with the ball and rolled it across for Haaland to sweep coolly home and cap a fine win.

Pep Guardiola admits he would have had a “big, big problem” if Kyle Walker had left Manchester City in the summer.

The England right-back came close to leaving the treble winners for Bayern Munich but ultimately opted to stay and this week extended his contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2026.

The 33-year-old had a spell out of favour last season but has started the new campaign strongly and Guardiola is pleased to have retained his services after losing experienced pair Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez.

The City manager said: “After Gundo and Riyad, losing Bernardo (Silva) and Kyle would have have been a big, big problem.

“It’s not about the quality – the skills you can find quite similar, or different players can help you – but there are some things in the locker room that are so difficult to replace.

“These guys have a lot of experience in the important moments of important games. You know exactly how he’s going to respond in the bad moments.

“It would have been a big loss. That’s why as a club of course we fought for him to stay with us.”

Walker joined City from Tottenham in 2017 and has since won 15 trophies, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles.

Guardiola believes he has matured into a far better player than when he arrived and recently underlined his qualities with his response to a calamitous error last month.

Walker was at fault as Sheffield United claimed a late equaliser against City in their Premier League clash at Bramall Lane but then recovered to tee up Rodri’s dramatic winner.

Guardiola said: “He made a wrong decision when they equalised but, right after the equaliser, the next two actions came from Kyle in the byline. It was a goal. What a top, top player.

“He forgets what happened, says, ‘OK I’m going to win the game’. That defines the big, big players.

“No doubt he’s a much, much better player than seven years ago when he arrived. That is clear.

“Everyone makes mistakes but he has an incredible heart. And he’s a really nice guy, really nice, always tries to help.

“When a player is injured, he always calls him. I was at home (after back surgery) and he called me twice. ‘How you feel, Pep?’ This counts a lot in the group of people.

“The reason why we have a lot of success? The quality of human beings that we have.”

Walker has captained City so far this season and, with Kevin De Bruyne currently sidelined, could be the favoured choice to succeed Gundogan in the role full-time.

A vote among the squad and backroom staff – in which Guardiola will not participate – is due to be held in the coming days.

Guardiola said: “The vote will be taken the next days and the players will decide. It belongs to the players, not to me. What they decide, I’m fine (with).”

Pep Guardiola has reiterated his belief that Phil Foden can play in a number of attacking positions.

England manager Gareth Southgate suggested people should “speak to Pep” earlier this week after being asked why he seemed reluctant to play the midfielder in a central position for his country.

Southgate’s inference was that, as Foden tends to play in wider roles at Manchester City, it made it difficult for him to deploy the 23-year-old centrally in international games.

City manager Guardiola was indeed asked about this as he held a press conference on Friday to preview the champions’ Premier League trip to West Ham this weekend.

“I have an incredible relationship with Gareth,” said Guardiola, who returned to work this week after back surgery. “A comment from me? It looks like I disagree with him and I completely agree with him.

“When you play outside it is a completely different role but he knows, I know, that Phil can play in all positions up front – in the middle, outside right, left, in the pockets.

“But, as Gareth has said, in the pockets you have another responsibility, especially without the ball. Sometimes you don’t have to be so smart to read what happens every moment.

“But the important thing is Phil can play in the five positions up front without a problem and this is a big, big advantage for him.

“I saw the friendly game against Scotland. He started playing in the right, but moved and was most of the time inside. So the players move right, left, inside, outside. In the end it’s not a big issue.”

Saturday’s game at the London Stadium will see Guardiola back at the helm after missing two matches whilst recovering from his back operation.

In his absence, the treble winners maintained their 100 per cent to their title defence as assistant Juanma Lillo oversaw victories over Sheffield United and Fulham.

Guardiola said: “I’m getting better, three weeks after surgery. The doctor made a good job and, step by step, I think every week will be better.”

City received further good news this week as England right-back Kyle Walker agreed a two-year extension to his contract at the Etihad Stadium, committing him to the club until 2026.

Walker, who had a spell out of favour last season, recently admitted he came “close” to joining Bayern Munich over the summer but ultimately decided to stay.

Guardiola said: “It’s really important – like the extension from Nathan (Ake), Bernardo (Silva), Rico (Lewis) and Scotty Carson.

“Kyle is an important figure for us. Even his mates demanded he could not leave. His mind is there, he’s here on the pitch and loving it and football will not be a problem because he has a gene like few players I’ve seen.”

City announced Walker’s new contract by releasing a video starring the player in a ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ parody.

Guardiola said: “Our club is getting better in these social media departments. It was really, really good. The guy who has the idea, chapeau – hats off.”

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is targeting more trophies after signing a new contract with the treble winners just a couple of months after almost leaving for Bayern Munich.

The 33-year-old, who had a spell out of favour last spring and was left out of the starting line-up for the Champions League final in June, has agreed a two-year extension.

Walker had entered the final year of his existing deal when the Bundesliga champions came along with an attractive package but the England international ultimately decided to stay put.

“I’m thrilled to sign a new deal. My future is with Manchester City and that is the best thing for me,” said Walker, who has won 15 trophies with the club.

“I’ve enjoyed every single moment of the past six years at this fantastic club.

“The treble-winning season is one I will never forget and we’re ready to go again and try to win more trophies.

“We’ve got to demand that. We’ve set the bar and each year it’s how do you get better? How do we get better? We seem to be doing that each year.

“We’ve probably gone to the top of the top where there is only down because are we going to go and win a treble again? Who knows? You know, we could do.

“The odds say that we’re not going to, but we need to make sure that we’re there competing in the later stages in all competitions and fighting for the silverware.

“But I think one thing that we’ve done really well here is we take one game at a time. We don’t plan for the future. We plan for the present and the present starts on Saturday against West Ham.

“I am delighted to continue at a club that competes for trophies every year and I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring.”

Director of football Txiki Begiristain hailed a player he classed as the best right-back in the world.

“He is an outstanding footballer and his speed, strength and experience make him such an important member of our squad,” he said.

“For me, he is the best right-back in the world, a player with a unique set of attributes. He brings a very special dynamic to our team.

“Kyle has been a huge part of our recent success, and we are confident that he will help us compete for trophies in the upcoming seasons.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has returned to the club after recovering from his recent back operation.

The PA news agency understands the Catalan has now resumed duties after three weeks away.

Assistant boss Juanma Lillo took charge of first-team affairs as the 52-year-old travelled to Spain to undergo a routine procedure last month.

In Guardiola’s absence the treble winners beat Sheffield United and Fulham to maintain their 100 per cent start in the Premier League.

City’s squad were beginning to reconvene on Wednesday following the international break.

They return to Premier League action at West Ham on Saturday before their latest Champions League campaign begins at home to Red Star Belgrade next Tuesday.

What the papers say

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is reportedly interested in making a bid for West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd next summer, the Sun reports. They may face stiff competition for the 27-year-old Moroccan from Manchester City.

Tottenham are leading the race for 16-year-old Croatian youngster Luka Vuskovic who has been linked to four other teams including Liverpool, Chelsea, Paris St Germain and Manchester City, according to the Telegraph. The teenager would not join Tottenham until the summer of 2025.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Marco Verratti: Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all had unsuccessful bids to sign the 30-year-old Italian from Paris St Germain this summer, Football Transfers says.

Alex Baena: Aston Villa are interested in signing the 22-year-old forward from Villareal, Spanish outlet Fichajes reports.

What the papers say

Manchester City are reportedly leading a long line of suitors for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson. According to the i, any move would be viewed as future-proofing the side should Erling Haaland elect to depart the club once his contract expires in 2027.

The Telegraph says Manchester United have commenced contract extension talks with defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 25-year-old is in the final year of his current deal, but manager Erik ten Hag is believed to be impressed with the right-back’s progression in recent months.

Reports from the Daily Mail indicate Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq are still pushing to sign Everton winger Demarai Gray before the transfer deadline window closes on Thursday.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Kylian Mbappe: The Paris St Germain forward is open to joining Liverpool next summer, according to L’Equipe.

Jorginho: Italian outlet Tutto Mercato says the 31-year-old midfielder is set to rebuff interest from Fenerbahce to stay at Arsenal.

Kyle Walker has revealed he was “close” to joining Bayern Munich in the summer but is now set to sign a new contract at Manchester City.

The City right-back was the subject of strong interest from the German giants during the close season and, coupled with uncertainty over his future at the Etihad Stadium, he admits he was seriously tempted.

The 33-year-old had a spell out of favour last spring and, although he regained his place towards the end of the treble-winning campaign, was left out of the starting line-up for the Champions League final in June.

As he entered the final year of his contract, Bayern turned his head with an attractive package but, with City later offering what is understood to be a two-year extension, Walker opted to stay put.

“It was close but in football things can happen,” Walker said. “Decisions can be made, things can turn. It wasn’t meant to be.

“Would I have enjoyed the experience? Of course I would, but this is a great club and you can’t underestimate what this club has done in the last six or seven years.

“Why should I walk away if I am going to get enough game time that’s right for me? That is all I want.

“It was about who gave me the most years. It wasn’t like I was going to a worse club because Bayern Munich is a massive club and seeing what Harry (Kane) is doing there and will do, it wasn’t a step down.

“In the back of my head I always wanted to play for Manchester City but I had to do what was right for me and my future. It was just about which club gave me the years in my contract to play football at the highest level.”

The speculation linking Walker with Bayern was at its most intense in July, just as City played the Bundesliga club during a pre-season friendly in July.

To some surprise at the time, Walker not only started for City but took the captain’s armband.

He said: “I am a Manchester city player. I am contracted to them so what do you want me to do? Turn round and say ‘I am not playing because I want to force a move to Bayern Munich’?

“That is not me as a person. I have a contract with the club and I will play for the club until the contract (ends) or they sell me – and I wasn’t sold.”

Walker, who joined City from Tottenham in 2017, says confirmation of the new deal which would commit him to the reigning Premier League champions was imminent.

“The extension is coming,” said Walker, who has five title-winner’s medals. “It’s my seventh season here and I feel like one of the old ones.

“I love the place. I’ve experienced things I only dreamt of here – especially the last season – so why would you want to leave a club like this?”

Walker is also keen to take on the City captaincy full-time with manager Pep Guardiola planning to hold a squad vote to identify Ilkay Gundogan’s replacement in the coming weeks.

He said: “The vote hasn’t been yet. They like to do it after the transfer window is closed.

“It is an honour of privilege, of course I want it. If you can’t pass on your knowledge and life experiences on or off the field, I shouldn’t be playing at a great club like this.”

Erling Haaland admits Fulham have a right to be angry over Manchester City’s controversial second goal in Saturday’s Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland scored a hat-trick as champions City ultimately ran out comfortable 5-1 winners over the Londoners but the game turned on a highly contentious incident just before half-time.

Nathan Ake headed City 2-1 ahead but Fulham complained vociferously that Manuel Akanji, stood in an offside position, had attempted to kick the ball on its way past and hindered goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

The protests, both on the field and the touchline, continued long after VAR had ruled the goal should stand and Haaland accepts the visitors had a point.

“I think it was offside as well,” the Norwegian told beIN Sports. “I feel bad for them, I would be fuming after this as well. It must be a horrible feeling for them.”

Prior to that, the game had been rather more sedate with few chances until Julian Alvarez scored a 31st-minute opener that was quickly cancelled out by Tim Ream.

City did not dwell on the incident after the break, moving through the gears with Haaland typically coming to the fore.

He finished clinically from an Alvarez pass, fired home a penalty and then turned in a Sergio Gomez cross to claim his seventh City hat-trick in stoppage time.

“I’m back,” said Haaland, who scored 52 goals last season. “I am always hungry. It’s a new season and I am ready.

“We started a bit sloppy but we ended in a good way. It was important to win – four out of four – and we go into the international break after a really good start.”

City’s victory was their second without manager Pep Guardiola on the touchline as he continues his recovery from back surgery, but the Spaniard is expected to return for the trip to West Ham in a fortnight.

“I think he misses us,” said Haaland. “We also miss him sometimes too, so we look forward to having him back.”

Fulham go into the international break without a win since their season-opener at Everton, but veteran defender Ream expects the team to hit back.

The American said: “That’s just the nature of the squad, the mentality (manager) Marco (Silva) has instilled in us.

“It’s just a shame that we have an international break and it’s two weeks between games for some guys.

“But we’ll come back. We’ll look at things we can improve upon and we go again when we come back.”

Son Heung-min, Erling Haaland and Evan Ferguson matched a Premier League record with their hat-tricks on Saturday.

It was only the second time in the Premier League era that the top flight had witnessed three hat-tricks on the same day, following the efforts of Robbie Fowler, Alan Shearer and Tony Yeboah in September 1995.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the two treble-trebles.

Fowler in fact scored four goals in Liverpool’s 5-2 win over Bolton, starting when he crisply dispatched Jamie Redknapp’s through-ball with his trusty left foot.

Goalkeeper David James provided a route-one assist for his second and he completed a hat-trick just after half-time when Redknapp’s cross was not dealt with. Steve McManaman set up Fowler, sporting a distinctive blond-dyed hairstyle, to curl home his fourth.

Shearer scored a record five hat-tricks in the 1995-96 season, the first coming in a 5-1 win over Coventry and starting with a close-range left-footed finish from Tim Sherwood’s corner.

Strike partner Mike Newell laid on a simple second on the hour and also provided the flick-on for Shearer to complete his hat-trick with a first-time right-footed drive seven minutes later.

Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Bolton and Tottenham were Shearer’s other victims that season.

Leeds striker Yeboah had two to his name in the three minutes leading into half-time against Wimbledon, the first a tap-in but the second an unforgettable rocket off the crossbar which is regularly listed as one of the Premier League’s greatest goals.

An instinctive touch and volley after Phil Masinga’s run caused panic in the defence to complete his treble and Leeds’ 4-2 win.

Son was first off the mark on Saturday as Spurs hammered Burnley 5-2 at Turf Moor.

His first came in the 16th minute, cancelling out Lyle Foster’s early opener, as Son brought down Pedro Porro’s long pass and played a one-two with Manor Solomon before dinking over goalkeeper James Trafford.

The Spurs captain then stroked home Solomon’s cutback and fired home from Porro’s incisive pass in the space of four second-half minutes, by which time Haaland was up and running at the Etihad Stadium.

A crisp finish from Julian Alvarez’s deflected through-ball set the Norwegian on his way in City’s 5-1 win over Fulham and he then crashed home a penalty before Sergio Gomez laid on his third in stoppage time.

In the evening kick-off, Ferguson poached his first after keeper Nick Pope spilled Billy Gilmour’s thunderbolt and then curled home a sublime second from 25 yards.

A left-footed effort which deflected off defender Fabian Schar made it three for Ferguson, Brighton and the Premier League on a memorable day.

Fulham manager Marco Silva claims it should have been “impossible” to allow Manchester City’s controversial second goal to stand in his side’s 5-1 loss to the champions.

The Cottagers had been holding their own against the treble winners at the Etihad Stadium when City went 2-1 ahead on the stroke of half-time with a Nathan Ake header.

Fulham argued long and hard that City defender Manuel Akanji, stood in an offside position, had played at the ball and impacted goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Despite a VAR review and further lengthy protests, the goal was given and City went on to win comfortably with a second-half hat-trick from the prolific Erling Haaland.

Silva said: “The second half was not at the level that it should be. I tried to tell the players not to lose focus from things that we cannot control but, of course, that moment made a huge impact on them.

“Even all the explanations that we listened to during that period didn’t make sense at all.

“What I can say? Everyone that plays football, everyone that has played football, everyone that has some knowledge about football – I’m 100 per cent sure – has to disallow that goal.

“Everyone has to be furious if a goal like that comes against you. For the linesman I believe that it can be difficult but, for the VAR, it is impossible not to disallow that goal. It is a clear offside.”

Silva admitted Joao Palhinha had not been in the right frame of mind to play after his proposed deadline day move to Bayern Munich collapsed.

Silva said: “It was a tough day for him, definitely, probably one of the toughest days of his life.

“He loves Fulham, he loves football, he loves to be with us. He had the fantastic season last season and he’s always a player that gives 100 per cent for the shirt but he had a big chance to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and he was really close.

“You can imagine the impact that has on a football player when these type of things happen.”

City were not at their best in the first half and saw their opening goal from Julian Alvarez quickly cancelled out by Tim Ream.

Yet after the stormy end to the first half, they moved through the gears after the break with Haaland, scorer of 52 goals last season, coming to the fore.

Assistant boss Juanma Lillo, who has won both of his matches in charge since manager Pep Guardiola underwent back surgery, said of the Norway striker: “This guy was born scoring goals and he’ll go through his whole life scoring goals, so it’ll be no surprise if he manages to get those same figures as last time.

“But it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t as he’s great at providing play for the players. Today he made one assist and also put a ball through to another player. I’d always look at his intelligence as well as his goalscoring stats.”

City midfielder Jack Grealish missed the game with a thigh injury and is now doubtful for England’s upcoming internationals against Ukraine and Scotland.

Lillo said: “It would be difficult to be able to make it for the national team but I am not a doctor and it would be difficult for me to explain.”