Gareth Southgate issues Kyle Walker injury update as Manchester City suffer third pre-Arsenal fitness blow

England manager Gareth Southgate has issued an update on the fitness of Kyle Walker, after the Manchester City captain suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday evening.

The 33-year-old became Pep Guardiola’s latest fitness concern on Saturday evening, after being forced off against Brazil at Wembley Stadium with a suspected hamstring injury during the first-half of the international friendly.

Walker, who was captaining England in the absence of Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, was replaced in the 20th minute, just moments after receiving initial treatment for a hamstring issue.

The full-back is now a doubt for England’s friendly with Belgium at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday evening, and could miss Manchester City’s upcoming Premier League meeting with Arsenal as a result of the problem.

Guardiola’s side face Arsenal in a potentially title-defining clash at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday, with just one point currently separating City, Arsenal and Liverpool in the race for the Premier League trophy.

Manchester City’s treble defence is set to come under huge pressure next month, with further fixtures against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and an Emirates FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

City additionally host Aston Villa on Wednesday 3rd April in the Premier League, and travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in a jam-packed fixture schedule.

Walker could be the third injury blow for Manchester City ahead of Arsenal, with both Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne currently sidelined due to fitness problems.

Speaking following England’s defeat to Brazil, Southgate said: “We don’t know (the severity). He’s not had many injuries, so he himself isn’t sure whether it’s just tightness.

“I suspect if he’s feeling it, it’s a little bit more than that but we’ll know a bit more over the next 24, 36 hours.”

De Bruyne withdrew from international duty due to a groin injury, meanwhile Ederson has been sidelined since a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield after suffering a muscular injury.

Jack Grealish is also subject to current fitness concerns, with the Englishman having been omitted from Southgate’s Three Lions squad to recent injury issues.