Manchester City continued their perfect start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a narrow 2-1 victory over Brentford at The Etihad on Saturday.
The Cityzens have now won all four of their matches in the top-flight and currently sit at the top of the table, as they go in search of a fifth straight title.
Erling Haaland, of course, scored both of the goals for Pep Guardiola to secure all three points, after an early strike from Yoane Wissa had given the away side the lead.
The Norway international has now scored a staggering nine goals in four Premier League matches so far this season, including hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United.
Appearances
4
Sofascore rating
8.65
Goals
9
Big chances missed
2
Conversion rate
45%
He has been the star of the show for City, with his outrageous goalscoring record, but the former Borussia Dortmund marksman has not been the only shining light of the campaign.
Rico Lewis has emerged as a regular starter for Pep Guardiola at the start of this season and has caught the eye with his performances for the champions.
Rico Lewis' impressive start to the season
The impressive academy graduate only started eight of his 16 appearances in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign, as a bit-part player for City.
He was behind Kyle Walker in the pecking order, for club and country, last season but the tables have turned and it is now the other way around.
Lewis has started all four of the club’s matches in the Premier League this term and was selected for the most recent England squad, by Lee Carsley, ahead of Walker.
The 19-year-old starlet, who turns 20 in November, has earned his place in the starting XI on merit and has been an impressive performer in the division this term, with three starts at right-back and one at left-back.
Lewis, who played 39 times for the club at U18 and U21 level combined, has not looked out of place as a regular first-team operator, from a technical or physical perspective.
Starts
4
Sofascore rating
7.18
Pass accuracy
87%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.1
Duel success rate
67%
As you can see in the table above, he has been a combative and dominant defensive option for Guardiola, winning 67% of his physical contests in the Premier League this term.
He has also completed 87% of his attempted passes and recorded one assist, for Haaland against West Ham, which shows that the full-back has been reliable and capable in possession for City.
These statistics show that Lewis deserves his place in the side for the Cityzens and suggest that he is on course for a fantastic breakthrough campaign with the champions, if he can maintain this level of form over the next eight months or so.
Guardiola has provided young players, like Lewis, Oscar Bobb, and Phil Foden, with chances to shine in the first-team over the years and he may already have his next version of Lewis in the U21 side right now, in talented teenager Jacob Wright.
Jacob Wright's big potential
Just like the 19-year-old first-team star, Wright can play in the middle of the park in central midfield or as a right-back, which suggests that he would be comfortable inverting in Guardiola’s system.
He has played 16 games at right-back and 31 matches in a defensive midfield role at academy level for City and could, therefore, be ideal for the right-back role that would see him invert into a central midfield position alongside, usually, Rodri to create a 3-2 build-up for City.
The 18-year-old starlet has caught the eye with his performances for the youth teams, with nine goals and six assists in 65 games for the U21 and U18 sides combined, despite playing in defensive positions.
Appearances
1
Goals
1
Pass accuracy
90%
Tackles + interceptions
3
Ball recoveries
6
As you can see in the table above, Wright impressed in his first appearance of the 2024/25 EFL Trophy campaign against Chesterfield last month.
He started in a central midfield position and got his name on the scoresheet, whilst also demonstrating his qualities in and out of possession, completing 90% of his attempted passes and making nine tackles, interceptions, and recoveries.
Along with that impressive outing, Wright has also produced an eye-catching two goals and three assists in three Premier League 2 matches this season, and his form may catch Guardiola’s eye with a view to more first-team exposure this term.
The next steps for Jacob Wright
The teenage whiz made two first-team appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, with one outing in the Champions League and one in the FA Cup, and this shows that he is already on the manager’s radar.
Earlier this year, Guardiola claimed that the midfielder has been training with the first-team and is “progressing really well”, which suggests that the Spanish head coach is pleased with his development so far.
Reigning Premier League Player of the Year Foden, who came through the academy system himself, also said that he was “delighted” for Wright and that it is a “dream” for him to play alongside fellow academy graduates like the teenage ace.
This shows that he has caught the eye of the manager and one of the first-team’s biggest stars, which speaks to his potential as a player at such a young age.
At the age of 18, there is no immediate rush for Wright to emerge as a key player for City’s senior side, given that Lewis has only now nailed down a starting spot and is about to turn 20.
The goal for the England U20 international this season should be to rack up a smattering of first-team appearances in all competitions and to earn a Premier League debut.
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Wright could then use that experience as a platform to kick on and establish himself in the 2025/26 campaign as Rico Lewis 2.0 for Guardiola.