Manchester City returned to winning ways after beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, but Pep Guardiola believes his second-half substitutes were to thank for the turnaround.
He credited Rico Lewis for being versatile and improving the performances of players around him. Guardiola even referred to the 18-year-old as his “little Philipp Lahm” with how seamlessly the defender can play in midfield.
Pep told Sky Sports: “Rico has shown the ability to make the midfield better. There are players that play for themselves really well, but he has the ability to make all the team play better. Every moment he knows when to open inside, and what to do. He changed the game.”
Lewis has made 10 appearances across the board this season and looks likely to continue adding to his tally after Vital Man City pondered otherwise. The England youth international has Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker for competition but is outperforming the pair and is being rewarded with a new contract.
Guardiola brought Lewis on against Chelsea to change the game and that’s what he did. Pep has real faith in the right-back and already considers him an important asset despite Lewis only making the step up from the reserves last summer.
Only three City players turned over the ball more than Lewis, despite him only playing 45 minutes. The 18-year-old completed 100% of his passes too, so Guardiola could ask little else of the defender, especially in a makeshift midfield role.
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