Kyle Walker hails ‘incredible’ Cole Palmer as Manchester City and Pep Guardiola clinch UEFA Super Cup glory

Kyle Walker heaped praise upon Cole Palmer after his heroics in Manchester City’s UEFA Super Cup triumph over Sevilla on penalties in Athens on Wednesday evening.

City were far from their usual, fluid best in the opening stages and fell behind courtesy of a brilliant header from Youssef En-Nesyri put Sevilla ahead after 25 minutes.

Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and John Stones were all missing from the starting lineup as Pep Guardiola handed defender Josko Gvardiol his full Manchester City debut following his move from RB Leipzig.

After making a bright end to the opening half, City dominated proceedings after the interval and were rewarded for their efforts when Cole Palmer headed in from Rodri’s cross to level proceedings just past the hour-mark.

The 21-year-old also scored a belter in City’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal at Wembley and his recent displays in attack will be duly noted by Guardiola, who is open to Palmer leaving on loan for the season.

Despite their best efforts to force a winner, the tie went to extra time and Manchester City emerged 5-4 winners to win the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Kyle Walker, who again captained City on the night, lauded Palmer for his recent form in his post-match interview and maintained that the sky is the limit for the Wythenshawe-born forward.

Speaking to TNT Sports on Palmer, Walker said: “This guy is incredible. We’re under the best manager in the world (Pep Guardiola). He (Palmer) needs to keep going and keep his feet on the floor and keep scoring. If he keeps improving and listening to me, he’ll get better.”

A decision is pending on Palmer’s immediate future at the Etihad Stadium amid interest from several clubs in England and abroad after a disappointing 12 months for the City academy graduate, who struggled for regular first-team action in his boyhood club’s historic, treble-winning campaign last term.