Walker assured in win over Brighton as he fights for place

After the week he's endured, this was probably the perfect afternoon for Kyle Walker. Not a great deal of defensive scrutiny expected against Brighton and a licence to roam forward.

Walker has been omitted from Gareth Southgate's latest England squad and knows new Manchester City signing Joao Cancelo represents the greatest threat to his automatic selection.

At £60million, Cancelo is the most expensive right back of all time. The Portugal international is not at Manchester City to sit among the substitutes.

Pep Guardiola launched a defence of Walker 24 hours before this procession, claiming he will come back stronger from the international setback.

In that, though, came the admission that Walker must keep his concentration.

That has lacked at times and there were a couple of occasions on Saturday where you felt his positioning could be more precise.

Both lapses involved Leandro Trossard, Brighton's summer signing from Genk. Trossard was thwarted twice, first by the outstretched Ederson and then Fernandinho's goalline block.

The second was the fault of Aleks Zinchenko, who gifted possession away, although Walker might wanted to have get back goalside quicker.

Yet this was a largely positive day for Walker, whose attacking intent brought about City's second goal.

An incisive pass through midfield predicted exactly where Riyad Mahrez would float to when cutting in from the right; seconds later Sergio Aguero was scoring his first of the game.

That pass might go unnoticed in the aftermath of a third game City have notched three or more goals (we're only four games in) but serves as a reason why Guardiola retains faith in Walker.

His bursts are such a lethal weapon, too, haring to the byline. Watching Walker in full flight is one of the most absorbing aspects of City's extravagant style under Guardiola.

The battle with Cancelo, who also relishes flooding forward, promises to be intriguing.