Pep Guardiola makes Rico Lewis statement after stunning Man City change

Pep Guardiola praised Manchester City youngster Rico Lewis for “changing the game” as the Premier League champions overcame a poor first half to defeat Chelsea 1-0 on Thursday night.

City were second best for the opening 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge, but were transformed after the break – when 18-year-old Lewis was introduced – and Riyad Mahrez’s 63rd-minute goal provided an important victory to their hopes of retaining the title. City now trail leaders Arsenal by five points.

Guardiola’s substitution decisions proved vital on Thursday night, with full-back Lewis and Swiss defender Manuel Akanji replacing Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker at halftime, before Jack Grealish and Mahrez were sent on minutes before combining for the match-winning goal.

“All the managers try to make decisions to help the team,” Guardiola said. “Sometimes you are losing but the team is playing good and why I should change when I have the feeling they are doing well?

“Today, after 20 minutes, because you have to give them a little bit of time to try, I decided I didn’t like what I was seeing. So why wait? I spoke with (coaches) Rodolfo [Borrell] and Enzo [Maresca], and we said: ‘OK, we have to change something otherwise it would have been more difficult.

“Everyone could see from the first minute of the second half, it was a different Man City.”

And it was Academy player Lewis whom Guardiola credited with having the biggest impact on City’s improved performance.

Lewis was involved in the goal – receiving a pass from Manu Akanji and shuttling it onto eventual goalscorer Riyad Mahrez – and his composure helped City put in a much better performance.

More importantly for the manager, the Radcliffe youngster inspired his teammates to be better versions of themselves with a talent that is extremely rare to find in a senior player never mind a rookie starting out at the top level.

“This dynamic from Rico helped everyone to have their freedom,” the Spaniard said. “He changed the game from minute one.

“In the first half, everything was sloppy, and we couldn’t keep contact with the wingers or the attacking midfielders and we didn’t create much. Our pressing was so poor, and we were not well organised.

“In the second half, especially with Manu and Rico – and this young boy has the quality to make us better.

“Everyone can play better, but when [Rico] came in, Rodri played better, Kevin [De Bruyne] played better, and he has the talent to do this.

“Since we have come back, he has been playing for us and he has become fundamental for us, the way he is playing right now.”