Pep Guardiola claims Manchester City star would be 'one of the best players in the PL' if he had one key trait

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has named one key trait Rico Lewis lacks that undervalues his stock. The Spaniard believes the right-back would be considered one of the best in the Premier League if he was a bit taller.

It is common knowledge that Rico Lewis is one of the brightest home-grown talents Manchester City have on their roster at the moment. The defender started his career in the club's youth setup and has progressed through the ranks and made it into the senior team.

The 20-year-old made his debut during a Premier League clash with Bournemouth on August 13, 2022, as a substitute for Kyle Walker in the 82nd minute. He bagged his first goal in City's jersey in a 3-1 win over Sevilla in the Champions League on November 2, 2022, and hasn't looked back since then.

Such has the player's brilliance that his manager couldn't help but shower praise on him. Guardiola boldly claimed that Lewis only needs height to be considered one of the best in the Premier League at the moment. In a press conference ahead of Manchester City's Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday (November 12) via Manchester Evening News:

"If he was a little bit taller her'd be considered one of the best players in the PL. He's an exceptional player.

"Last season he arrived and start to settle with us, every game he play to the highest standards. We are really really pleased that an academy player can be a regular player, really pleased," he added.

Lewis has made 31 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side in all competitions so far, with one goal and two assists to his name. That includes two assists in 10 games across all fronts this season.

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Will Pep Guardiola start Rico Lewis for Manchester City versus Chelsea this weekend?

Considering the magnitude of the game, it's unlikely that Pep Guardiola will name the 20-year-old in his starting line-up to face the Blues on Sunday. We'll probably see Kyle Walker start on the right hand of the defense at Stamford Bridge.

However, the tactician could end up introducing Lewis in the second half of the encounter if there's a need for tactical adjustments.

Manchester City will be looking forward to sealing all three points on Sunday. The Cityzens currently have a fragile lead on the Premier League table, with just one point separating them from second-placed Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea, meanwhile, beat Tottenham 4-1 in their last game and are 10th in the table, 12 points behind City.