This nation’s exceptional manufacturing line of right-backs has dished up one other gem in Manchester Metropolis’s Rico Lewis, who’s aiming to additional improve his quickly rising status in opposition to Arsenal tonight.Lewis is simply 18 however has began 5 of Metropolis’s final eight matches and will maintain his place within the FA Cup’s largest fourth-round tie, on the Etihad Stadium.There may be already discuss of {the teenager} being included in England’s squad for the European Championship qualifiers in March, and his emergence has left Kyle Walker’s long-term future for membership and nation really feel in additional doubt than at any level in his profession.Walker can be 33 in the summertime and is without doubt one of the few members of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad who seems unlikely to nonetheless be in competition for a spot in Germany in 18 months’ time.Lewis’s surprising emergence as a first-team participant has diminished Walker’s position at Metropolis to an extent, though {the teenager} has been cautious to say he’s nonetheless studying from the England star, who was considered one of his idols when he was coming by means of the membership’s academy.Learn MoreGuardiola has been effusive about Lewis, who was promoted after catching the attention on Metropolis’s summer time tour, describing him as “our little Philipp Lahm” due to his potential to affix the midfield, because the Germany full-back did beneath the Catalan at Bayern Munich.His vitality, high quality on the ball and positional nous have additionally impressed Guardiola however, maybe most significantly, he has added a youthful starvation to Metropolis’s squad.Walker is amongst a core of Metropolis gamers who’ve received each prize getting in English soccer already and Guardiola’s extraordinary press convention after final week’s comeback victory over Tottenham, by which Lewis impressed, pointed to his concern that his squad — and the membership’s followers — are dropping their edge.Not Lewis, although, who’s simply 13 video games into his senior profession and determined to win silverware, together with the FA Cup.“Some gamers have 5 Premier Leagues. Why in your thoughts must you struggle once more?” the Metropolis boss has mentioned. “However that’s why we’d like Rico Lewis as a result of for him it’s wow, it’s new. ‘I need to be there, I need to play, I need to keep a very long time right here, I need to win one Premier League’.Manchester Metropolis FC by way of Getty Ima“And this vitality is contagious. He offers it to me and he offers it to the gamers. It places strain for the opposite ones. And it’s so vital.”Lewis has already confronted Chelsea 3 times, Liverpool within the Carabao Cup and Spurs within the Premier League however Arsenal promise to be the largest take a look at of the teen’s fledgling profession, with Mikel Arteta unlikely to make wholesale modifications tonight.If he begins forward of Walker once more, Lewis is about to face Gabriel Martinelli, whose potential to run in behind will take a look at Guardiola’s defensive position and Lewis’s restoration tempo.Earlier than the summer time tour, {the teenager} was set to be spending this season with Metropolis’s Below-21s and he’s nonetheless grateful for any minutes at this degree.“I really feel like I belong but it surely doesn’t really feel like I’m a part of the crew,” Lewis mentioned after the win over Spurs final week. “Each sport for me is only a huge shock. I didn’t count on to play any video games. It’s simply overwhelming actually.”
Lewis set for largest take a look at of breakout season with England spot up for grabs
![Lewis set for largest take a look at of breakout season with England spot up for grabs 6 Lewis set for biggest test of breakout season with England spot up for grabs](https://i0.wp.com/fifanews.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Lewis-set-for-biggest-test-of-breakout-season-with-England.jpg?resize=860%2C573&ssl=1)