“Pep Guardiola Dismisses Man City Veteran as Key Player Moves On”

“Pep Guardiola loses faith in Man City stalwart as star departs”

Danny Mills has suggested that Pep Guardiola has determined he can no longer count on a former key player to start for Man City. Rico Lewis, who had become a consistent and valuable asset for the Premier League champions in recent seasons, has seen his role diminish lately.

Despite Kyle Walker’s expected departure from that position, the 20-year-old Rico Lewis has not started any of the last four matches for Man City. During this time, central midfielder Matheus Nunes has been deployed on the right side of defense instead.

That trend persisted in the Champions League clash against PSG on Wednesday (22 January), where Guardiola’s side squandered a 2-0 lead, ultimately losing 4-2. This result led Mills to question Rico Lewis’ place in the manager’s plans. Speaking on Sky Sports Soccer Special after the match (22 January, 10:00 pm), the former Man City and England defender remarked, “Matheus Nunes is like a fish out of water playing at right-back; it’s not his natural position.”

“With Kyle Walker’s departure, it’s clear that Pep Guardiola no longer sees Rico Lewis as a regular option in that position, despite him being a reliable stand-in for Walker last season. They were simply outplayed.”

Pep Guardiola now faces a crucial decision regarding Rico Lewis’ future at Man City.

During this challenging period for the Premier League champions, Rico Lewis has not been one of the primary culprits for the club’s struggles.

In fact, the 20-year-old has been no more to blame for the team’s struggles than any of his fellow Man City teammates.

Given Nunes’ struggles in that position, it’s puzzling that Rico Lewis isn’t being given the starting nod at right-back right now. With this issue now being brought to light, it will be intriguing to see if Guardiola chooses to reassess his decision, especially with the increasing pressure for positive results. If Guardiola decides not to rely on Lewis, Man City will likely need to act quickly to find another right-back.

Nunes has proven he’s not a long-term solution at right-back, and with Walker set to leave, this situation could leave the club dangerously lacking depth in that area of defense.