Rico Lewis and his midfield partner, Mateo Kovacic, may not have Rodri’s size or power, but with both Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne sidelined, they’re stepping up to fill the void left in Manchester City‘s engine room. Despite a week where City dropped four points, Lewis is keeping calm, insisting there’s no reason for panic.
Reflecting on the tough draws against Arsenal and Newcastle, Lewis acknowledged the difficulty but stressed the importance of those points. “When you look at the grand scheme of things, maybe we’ll be happy with how we did this week,” he said. City managed to secure a late draw against Arsenal and then let a lead slip at St. James’ Park, frustrating key players like Kyle Walker, who walked off in disappointment, and Jack Grealish, who exchanged banter with Newcastle fans.
However, Lewis believes these hard-fought points against strong opposition could prove crucial by the end of the season. He explained, “We want to win every game, but when you consider two of our toughest matches, we have to take both the positives and the negatives.” City is now gearing up for their Champions League clash against Slovan Bratislava, with manager Pep Guardiola focused on finding a “solution” to Rodri’s absence.
Though Lewis and Kovacic don’t yet possess the same physicality as Rodri, they are ready to step up in his absence. Ilkay Gundogan, who returned late in the transfer window, is still adjusting, but Guardiola has full confidence in his young players to rise to the occasion. Lewis commented, “Everyone knows how tough the schedule is, but we’ve got a squad full of top-quality players. We need everyone, and we never know when we’ll be called upon.”
Reflecting on City’s recent games, Lewis admitted that a point against Arsenal was probably acceptable given the intensity of the match. “It was a tough game, and not many people will come to Newcastle and win easily either,” he said, adding that while City wants to win every game, “that is football.”
At just 19, Lewis is mature beyond his years, fielding questions about Rodri’s absence with composure. Although Rodri’s season-ending injury is a blow, Lewis sees it as an opportunity to cement his place in midfield. “We know how important Rodri is, but we can’t change the situation. We’ve just got to crack on and sort it out ourselves.”
During the game against Newcastle, Josko Gvardiol’s early goal was cancelled out by Anthony Gordon’s penalty, and both teams had chances to win. Lewis, who started at right-back but prefers playing in midfield, continues to impress Guardiola with his versatility. “It’s really nice to get praise from the manager,” Lewis said, adding that he’s motivated to prove Guardiola right by delivering in every game.
While Lewis is still figuring out his “best” position, he’s enjoying the challenge of playing multiple roles, whether in midfield or at full-back. “I like playing in the pockets and as a midfielder on the ball, but I also enjoy full-back. It’s good to have options, and maybe in the future, I’ll settle on a clearer position,” he reflected.
With Rodri out for the season, the spotlight is on Lewis and his teammates to adapt, but the young star remains confident that City has the quality to cope with the challenges ahead.
