Young Manchester City right-back Rico Lewis will make his first Premier League start in the Blues' meeting with Leeds on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old defender has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past few months, making his senior debut in August aged just 17 before becoming the youngest full debutant to score in Champions League history when he found the back of the net against Sevilla.
Now Lewis has hit another milestone by being included in a Premier League starting XI for the first time. With City returning from a six-week break eight points behind league leaders Arsenal, the youngster's inclusion in the starting XI is something of a surprise.
READ MORE: Leeds vs City updates
That's no slight on Lewis' ability, but with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo named among the substitutes, Pep Guardiola has certainly given him a huge vote of confidence.
It won't be an easy first assignment for Lewis - Jesse Marsch's Leeds enjoyed something of a renaissance just before the World Cup, with their all-action and dynamic style meaning they always pose a threat on the counter-attack.
That said, Lewis proved last week that he can cope with elite-level opposition. The 18-year-old was excellent in City's 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat of Liverpool, not just on the ball but in terms of his off-the-ball work, his positional and tactical understanding.
City fans on Twitter seem just as confident as Guardiola that Lewis is ready to perform on the biggest stage.
@citybuildup: Rico Lewis is here to stay.
@Laporte_Role: Rico Lewis starting woww what a moment
ALSO READ:
