Kyle Walker says Manchester United fans are regularly in his ear willing Manchester City to win the title at Liverpool’s expense – but expects no favours from their bitter rivals at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

City will move back above Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table with three matches to go if they win their game in hand against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggling side.

Liverpool are chasing a first championship for 29 years while City hope to become the first club to retain the title for a decade but Walker says he has been left under no illusions about what scenario United supporters would prefer.

“United fans are in a difficult situation obviously,” the City right-back said. “When I’m out and about or walking my dogs, United fans are coming up to me saying, ‘We’d rather City win the league than Liverpool’.

“It’s strange to hear but I can assure you the United players aren’t going to leave a red carpet and say, ‘Go on City, score past us’.