It has been an impressive start to the new season for Rico Lewis at Manchester City.
The 19-year-old has started the new campaign firmly in favour under Pep Guardiola, featuring in all three of Manchester City‘s games so far.
Rico Lewis has been given opportunities as a result of Kyle Walker returning late to the club, after his exertions at Euro 2024 with England.
After getting the nod for the Community Shield against Manchester United, Lewis has started against Chelsea, Ipswich Town and West Ham United – and shone every time.
After his latest outing against the Hammers, Pep again spoke glowingly about Lewis and believes there is one ability he has that is just ‘incredible’.
Pep lauds Rico Lewis’ ability to play in the spaces for Man City
It has been truly fascinating to watch Lewis so far this season for Manchester City.
He has been deployed as a right-back, but Lewis has spent most of his time pushing high up the pitch and lending a hand in and around the final third.
The 19-year-old’s ability to invert helps to give City more control, and there is also potential for him to grab goals and assists.
He has been unlucky not to score so far, but he did grab his first assist of the season against West Ham, as he found Erling Haaland for his second goal on Saturday.
After the 3-1 win, Pep spoke about £25,000-a-week gem Lewis and lauded the teenager’s ‘incredible’ ability to play in the spaces.
He said: “Rico [Lewis] has one incredible ability for many years it was difficult to find. Always he is free, alone. When his mate has the ball. I don’t know what he does, but he’s free. You can pass the ball to him, and not just in positions where it’s comfortable. But in positions where the space is so tight, arriving in the third final.”
The City boss had made some similar comments about Lewis after City’s win over Ipswich, branding the youngster ‘exceptional’ and admitting he didn’t know how he always found space so easily.
Pep did also suggest that Lewis is not going to play every game despite his amazing form, purely because of how hectic the schedule gets.
Teasing a return for Kyle Walker, he added: “He (Lewis) is a good defender and can play in two or three positions. He’s playing good so he deserves to play. But every three days he cannot sustain that…”
Lewis stands to have his best season yet
- READ MORE: Who is Rico Lewis? The Man City prodigy who is one of the best Pep Guardiola has ever trained
It has been a fantastic start to the new season for Lewis, who has easily been one of City’s best performers so far.
He has relished being given the opportunity by Guardiola and he has thoroughly deserved to play ahead of Walker.
He will now leave for England duty, after getting called back up to the squad by new interim manager lee Carsley. Hopefully, he will see some minutes over the international break to keep his momentum going, but steer clear of any injuries.
Lewis really does stand to have his best season yet in 2024/25.
It is his third term as a first-teamer and he looks set for greater involvement. And he is definitely ready for that.
