Manchester City defender Kyle Walker insists he will not “roll out the red carpet” for Kylian Mbappe when England take on France in their World Cup blockbuster on Saturday night. However, while recognising the danger jet-heeled Mbappe poses, Walker has hinted he will be in no mood to back down with such a grand prize on offer for both teams. During his pre-match press duties,
Kyle Walker said: “I understand what I need to do and that is to stop him. It’s easier said than done, but I don’t underestimate myself. He is a fantastic player in great form. It is not going to be an easy task, but as a professional footballer you want to play against the best and I think he is one of the best, if not the best, in the world at the moment. You have to give him respect, but not too much. Yes it will be a tough game, but a team cannot just be about one person. I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to score. It’s a World Cup, it’s do or die.”