In Focus: Teen ace Lewis is Pep's perfect full-back

Manchester City often spend big to upgrade their squad, but in Rico Lewis they seem to have unearthed a gem from within. 

The 18-year old has broken into Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans this season despite tremendous competition in his position from experienced internationals Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker. 

Lewis was one of the star performers in midweek as the Citizens fought back from two goals down to win a thrilling encounter against Tottenham. 

Ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Wolves on Sunday, we turn the spotlight onthe youngster's career to date and what the future may hold.

Shining against Spurs

For a player that is so young and in such a competitive environment, Lewis has made impressive progress this season — and his performance against Spurs was his best display to date.

In a must-win match against opponents that have made of habit of causing upsets against Guardiola’s team, the Bury-born starlet was trusted with the right-back berth. 

The most notable contribution from Lewis in a rollercoaster contest was an instinctive block that prevented Tottenham from going 3-2 up. 

A cross from Dejan Kulusevski found Ivan Perisic inside the area, only for the teenager to bravely deflect the shot against the bar. 

Yet while this was an undoubtedly dramatic moment, the real headline news was the maturity that the defender showed throughout his display.

With Guardiola expecting his full-backs to be able to come infield and occupy central midfield positions, it is a very demanding role and many more senior stars than Lewis have struggled with it. 

Carragher praise

Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher believes that Lewis’ education as a youth player at Manchester City has been vital to his successful transition to the first-team. 

After the Spurs game, Carragher said: “What he's doing now at 18, it’s not just playing the position he's playing. It's his tactical understanding to go into midfield. 

“I don't think it was a case of rotation tonight. I don't think Pep was happy with Kyle Walker at Old Trafford, and this lad has been absolutely outstanding every time he's played and Pep thought, ‘I’m going to put him into a huge game that Manchester City have to win.’ 

“When Pep Guardiola came into the club six or seven years ago, you could see in his first game what he wanted from his full-backs. It's not something that's grown over time as you could see it straight away. 

“Lewis would've been around 11 then in the academy, so it's something which would've been fed down the age groups very early on. 

"It's gone right through the academy how Guardiola wants his full-backs to play so he's been trained to be like this over many years.” 

Breakthrough season

In the past, Guardiola has taken seasoned full-backs and moulded them into the type of player he wants for the position. 

There is an obvious advantage in having an academy product who has grown up playing in the role.

It partly explains how someone so young has been able to seamlessly slot into a team competing at the very highest level. 

His technical ability is another reason, with Lewis displaying calmness in possession and extremely accurate passing. 

Though he is schooled in playing in Guardiola’s unique full-back-cum-holding-midfielder role, that the manager initiated at Bayern Munich with Philipp Lahm, he is also comfortable when marauding forward in wide positions. 

This was evident on his Champions League debut this season against Sevilla, when he burst into the area and rifled home a great strike. 

In doing so he became the youngest player to ever score in his first Champions League start, at 17 years and 346 days.

In total he has now played 12 times this season across all competitions. Seven of these appearances have come in the Premier League, starting three of his side's last five games. 

Starting role

With Lewis being trusted in such an important match, it will be interesting to see whether the young ace can now retain his starting spot. 

Walker is  32-years old and the England U19 international looks destined to be his long-term successor — the only question would now seem to be how fast that transition happens. 

Should Lewis establish himself, the question of whether he then replaces Walker at international level will also be posed. 

Of course, there is stiff competition for that England position, but the 5ft 7in defender seems to have a unique skillset. 

Guardiola certainly thinks so and England fans should be excited to have a talent coming through that is held in such esteem by one the world’s greatest managers. 

When asked about Lewis, the storied coach did not hold back with his praise. 

Guardiola said: “He’ll be an incredible player for Manchester City in the next few years. We have seen him since day one in pre-season and I said, ‘This guy has something special.’ 

"He understands the game, he’s so clever. If you ask him to do something, he understands in a second.”