Man City full-back Kyle Walker talks about players he respects and singles out Newcastle man

Kyle Walker and his Manchester City cohorts are set for a televised tussle at St James' Park on Saturday as Newcastle United host the champions live on TNT Sport - kick-off is at 12:30pm.

At 34 years old Kyle Walker is defying the laws of football by seemingly not having lost a yard of pace making him still one of the best right-backs in world football.

He and Kieran Trippier have battled for that starting spot in the England side, but it's often Walker who is handed the right-back role if fit while Trippier has had to make do with a role on the bench or playing out of position.

As Walker himself has pointed out in his You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker podcast there aren't many players who will run at him as they know it's a race they're unlikely to win.

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Kyle Walker says that Anthony Gordon has his respect

One player who is not afraid of having a go at Walker just happens to play for Newcastle and is likely set to go up against him on Saturday.

“Not a lot of players now try to run me, the ones who do try I respect them more because they have tried. For example, Anthony Gordon, he will have a go at me every time and, for that, I have a lot of respect for him because he can keep going and he wants to improve.”

Like Walker, Gordon has been clocked as one of the fastest players in the Premier League so if Gordon can shake off his early season funk that has been hampering his performances so far, we could be in line to watch a battle for the ages down the flanks at St James' park on Saturday.

Now is the time for the Anthony Gordon of last season to return

Something hasn't looked right with Gordon since the season kicked off, whether his head was turned by the idea of joining Liverpool in the summer or it's simply a case of fatigue after having so little time to prepare for the new season, only he knows.

Saturday is the time to show us all that he's still 100% committed to Newcastle because anything less than a top performance from him, and indeed all the other players tasked with taking on the champions, will lead to disaster.

We have the quality in our ranks to give Man City a run, we've done it many times before under Eddie Howe, and that's all we can ask for - just play well, try your hearts out and what will be will be.