Another rising start emerges from Manchester United Youth Team – He is a pure talent and one of a kind
Manchester City’s impressive start to the season has been offset by key injuries – with Rico Lewis proving useful in covering the loss of Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne.
The rise of Rico Lewis continues with another England squad inclusion and surely a third England cap later this month.
Lewis has established himself as an undroppable for Manchester City, featuring in all but one of their games this season and keeping Kyle Walker out of the side. With Rodri injured, Lewis could be set for a run in midfield, or at least a supporting role while inverting from a nominal right-back position.
Cole Palmer has been described as the best in the Premier League at the moment by some pundits, but those at the Etihad may argue Lewis has been even better . He’s certainly been the standout for Pep Guardiola’s men, which is impressive considering Erling Haaland is already into double figures for goals.
Lewis is even popping up with more assists this season – three so far having managed four in his senior career before this term. As Guardiola says, there ‘are no words’ to describe both Lewis’ ability to fulfil multiple positions at once and also his remarkable start to the season.
Now he’s received back-to-back England call-ups for the first time and will hope to anchor himself in the Three Lions team just like he has at the Etihad. So why does it seem like Lewis’s ability is still something of a secret that only City fans are in on?
Opposition teams still think they can simply kick him off the ball, like they’ve never seen him spin away from players twice his size. And they seem surprised when he gets further forward and starts linking with Haaland or Jeremy Doku or Phil Foden. But he’s been doing it for some time now.
Curiously, both of Lewis’ caps so far have come at left-back. He’s played there a handful of times for City this season but is naturally a right-sided player – although his performances for the Blues have shown his starting position is largely irrelevant.
Over 90 minutes in Bratislava this week, Lewis played defensive midfield, number eight, number 10, number nine and even as a left-winger. That comes after his stint at both right-back and left-back before Rodri’s injury.
For City, Lewis is showing he can fill parts of the void left by Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez, while also keeping Kyle Walker out of the starting line up. Now he’s back in the England squad, a lack of left-backs opens up an avenue to establish himself in Lee Carsley’s plans as long as the interim coach is in charge.
Carsley namechecked Lewis as one of his options on the left, but challenged his other wide players to help out in that area – potentially giving Lewis license to come inside and help cover the problematic holding midfield area for England.
In that respect, Lewis has a chance to help England in the same way he is helping City. His positional awareness is unique and his ability to move between full-back and the midfield lines could be what England need to finally make those central areas work. Carsley was asked about finding a way to fit Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer in the same system – Lewis could be the link, and the protection, that they need to flourish.
After all, Lewis says he no longer has a position. Guardiola stressed his intelligence to ‘do everything’, so a position change for England won’t faze him one bit.
Maybe there are still some remaining doubts over his defending, even if he has a knack of still popping up in the right place when needed to. From Carsley’s comments, he will be needed to defend more if selected this month.
Like every other challenge, Lewis will take whatever role he is given in his stride. The chances are he will impress, too. And once he cracks the international stage (on top of the domestic and European stages), City won’t be able to keep their secret weapon quiet for much longer.
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