Manchester City received the news they dreaded – Rodri might miss the remainder of the season. Just 21 minutes into his first Premier League start this campaign, the Spaniard went down clutching his right knee. The sight of their midfield anchor in pain was the worst fear of the supporters. Early indications suggest the 28-year-old has suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage. While City haven't exactly been struggling without Rodri – they've started the season unbeaten – Pep Guardiola will deeply miss the tactical acumen of his key player over the course of the season. The return of Ilkay Gündogan helps, but it's the emergence of another player that will be a significant boost for City.

Last year, Guardiola referred to Rico Lewis as “our little Philipp Lahm” – high praise indeed. Lahm was not only one of the most decorated defenders in history but also crucial during Guardiola’s tenure at Bayern due to his intelligence. Although primarily a right-back, Lahm was frequently deployed in midfield by Guardiola. His ability in and out of possession inspired Guardiola to instruct full-backs to move into midfield – a tactic now regularly used by the City manager. Lewis’s role in Manchester so far mirrors Lahm’s under Guardiola in Munich. A versatile full-back, Lewis has often started in the middle. “He has the ability to make the entire team play better,” Guardiola said, and it's no surprise that City won their first four games this season with the 19-year-old starting against Chelsea, Ipswich, West Ham, and Brentford.

Guardiola might have planned to manage Lewis’s game time due to his age, but Rodri’s injury could accelerate the England international’s full integration into the first team. This is a crucial season for City, with Arsenal looking stronger than ever. Rodri’s injury could give them the confidence to challenge for the title, having finished runners-up to Guardiola’s side twice. Guardiola has hinted this might be his final season at the Etihad, though an extension is still possible, depending on the outcome of the 115 charges against City. With Lewis ready to step in for Rodri, Guardiola can take comfort in having a quick-thinking replacement.

“He is so clever, so intelligent: every moment, he knows when to open inside, and what to do,” Guardiola said of Lewis, and it’s easy to see why. He’s the top-rated teenager in the Premier League this season, with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.18. His standout performance came in the 3-1 win at West Ham, where his central midfield display showcased his potential. He completed 93.2% of his 59 passes and made four tackles, more than any other player. For context, West Ham’s ball winners Edson Álvarez and Guido Rodríguez made one tackle between them, despite City having 67.6% possession. Lewis fulfilled the basic duties of a ball-winning midfielder but offered more than just possession recovery. His touch map shows him operating on the right of midfield, close to the touchline, and up and down that flank. His desire to push upfield to win the ball back in dangerous areas explains why he ranks third for possession won in the attacking third (six) in the Premier League this season.

When Lewis goes to win the ball back, he’s usually successful. He has a 100% tackle success rate in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, and only Arsenal’s centre-back William Saliba (18) has made more tackles among players yet to be dribbled past than Lewis (nine). While some improvements in distribution are needed to match Rodri’s level, the versatile youngster is arguably the best option to deputize for the Spaniard. Guardiola wouldn’t need to alter the midfield dynamic and would have the necessary defensive cover to ensure City dominate games. Gündogan and Matheus Nunes might fancy their chances of filling Rodri’s role, but Lewis is arguably the best fit. Pair him with Mateo Kovacic, and City will feel confident of securing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title.