Kyle Walker explains why footballers cover their mouths while they speak as lip readers decode spat with Neal Maupay

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has revealed why footballers cover their mouths when they speak in a recent discussion on his podcast. The England international revealed players cover their mouths to keep their conversations private because they are being broadcast across the planet.

Speaking on his podcast with the BBC, You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker, the treble-winning defender said:

"[It's] so the cameras can't see! You might be swearing or having a little bit of banter, You might have seen them on a night out the week before, and you're just having a bit of banter, but it is what it is. In the world we live in now, everything - you've got lip-readers now, what is this world coming to?"

Kyle Walker will particularly be keen for players' discussions on the pitch to be kept private after lip readers decoded a heated exchange between himself and Brentford striker Neal Maupay.

The Frenchman allegedly muttered comments about Walker's children and the Manchester City star's second family being made public. The city captain had fathered a second child with Lauryn Goodman despite his wife Annie Kilner also being pregnant with their fourth child together at the time.

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Kyle Walker names former Liverpool star among the best he has faced

On the same podcast, the Manchester City defender named former Liverpool star Sadio Mane among the best players he has ever faced. The Senegalese forward was part of the only team that managed to beat Walker's City side to the league title in the last six seasons.

Speaking on the icebreaker, the England International said:

“Sadio Mane was a nightmare for me. He was more raw, he had certain movements he would do, I think he was playing in a very good Liverpool team, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, who was dropping deep. He was good. Even at Southampton."

Mane formed a deadly attacking trio with Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino, helping bring Liverpool's 30-year wait for a league title to an end. The Senegalese international was later sold to Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £35 million.

However, the move did not work out and he recently joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr where he plays alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.