Manchester City are now the only side in the Premier League to be unbeaten with eight games played.
Out of those eight games, City have won six and drawn two, bagging more goals (19) than any other side in the league.
One particular figure from City’s squad who has played a prominent role in Pep Guardiola’s side so far this season is Rico Lewis.
Appearing in all but one of City’s matches across all competitions this season, the 19-year-old has started all 11 games he’s appeared in.
Having only started 17 of the 27 matches he appeared in last season, the teenager has now opened up about how he feels as part of the senior squad.
- READ MORE: Who is Rico Lewis? The Man City prodigy who is one of the best Pep Guardiola has ever trained
Rico Lewis says his confidence has shot up this season
When asked in a recent press conference ahead of City’s Champions League match against Sparta Prague how he feels about playing as regularly as he has been this season, Lewis said this in response.
He said: “It’s difficult to say it’s like a breakout season because I’ve been with them already for two years but it feels in myself there’s more trust in the manager there for me.
“There’s more playing time for me there as well. In terms of playing more games, it does feel like that and I think that’s only helped my confidence and being able to develop more as a player like that as well.
“It feels it because I’m playing more on the pitch but that’s not to say that he didn’t trust me when I wasn’t playing as well. The last season we’ve had so many good players that can play in so many different positions but it’s difficult to fit everyone in at once.
“But in terms of my confidence, it’s massive for it. To be able to have a manager like that who can feel like they can play you in most games is amazing for me.”
Lewis has impressed Guardiola this season
Back in September, Guardiola was full of praise for Lewis and what he had shown for City in the early weeks of the season, saying this about the youngster.
He said: “Rico 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.
“He 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.”
In fact, Lewis has become the first teenager to start 25 league games under Guardiola.
To highlight how used he’s been for the Citizens, only Josko Gvardiol (25) has a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions in the City squad across the Manchester club’s eight Premier League games this season than Lewis (21).
His efforts this season have led to the youngster being called up for England to feature in their recent rounds of Nations League fixtures.
Now that the City youth academy graduate has shared how much his confidence has grown as a result of how much trust Guardiola has put in him this season, this will hopefully give him the space to improve his game even more.
