Rico Lewis has detailed the advice he received from Kyle Walker as the pair form a healthily competitive relationship at Manchester City.
Lewis has quickly become one of Pep Guardiola's favourite projects at the Etihad, starting three Premier League games ahead of his senior teammate since the World Cup break. The 18-year-old stood up to a firm and physical test in the 4-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening, drifting into midfield to dictate the tempo of City's play assertively.
His form is keeping veteran full-back and City stalwart Walker on the sidelines. A 73-cap England international and 14 years Lewis' senior, the Sheffield-born defender would be forgiven for feeling a little hard done by. But as Lewis detailed after Thursday's win, the relationship between the two is as healthy as one could hope for.
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"I get on well with him," Lewis said. "We’ve had talks about stuff and been pretty open about everything that happens between us like selection and things like that. He’s really good at talking to me.
"He’s not putting any pressure on me to do anything special, he’s just telling me to concentrate on myself and do as much as I can."
Lewis is already well on course to double the minutes Phil Foden earned during his breakthrough season in 2017/2018, being trusted in high-pressure games such as Thursday's win or the December trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United. Equally important for the teenager was his ability to change the dynamic in City's 1-0 win at Chelsea earlier this month, coming on for Walker himself and lifting those around him.
With a call up to England's under-21s on the horizon and an ever growing stature among the City squad, the Radcliffe star's stock is rising rapidly, and Walker looks set to play a major role in his development.
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