Rico Lewis has claimed that Manchester City have got their confidence back after a successful 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League.
City took the lead when Erling Haaland finished vigorously inside the penalty area before Bernardo Silva doubled the advantage to extend the club’s unbeaten run to nine games.
Lewis, who returned to the starting line-up from the squad that began in City’s 2-2 draw against Monaco last time out in the competition, set Haaland up for his 53rd Champions League goal and played superbly throughout and believes that his teammates have full trust in one another.
“We’ve got our confidence back,” Lewis told TNT Sports. “That’s the main thing. When you’re playing with confidence, there’s nothing really that can stop you but yourself.
“Everyone trusts each other, and you see the players who played today; everyone’s got trust, we all want the ball, and there’s nothing better than all of us having each other.”
'Rico is a top, top class player'
City’s win on the east coast of Spain marked the end of a surprisingly poor streak which saw the club not win on away turf in Europe for over a year.
And Guardiola also feels that the togetherness the club needs to succeed is present after "everyone was in hospital” last season.
The City manager added: “It's always been like that except last season because we were not together. On the massage table for 10, 11 months. That’s why it was so difficult.”
Lewis’ performance was his best for a long period and it was his contribution that found a breakthrough for City, who had flirted with an opener before Haaland’s goal.
Lewis came through City's academy (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Guardiola praised his performance by describing the City academy graduate as intelligent and a “top class player”.
He said: “I adore that player; he’s so intelligent, he’s so clever in small spaces. Against more duels he struggles a little more, but against teams like Villarreal that move and are zonal marking exceptionally, you have to have players that move really, really well in those positions.
“And Rico is a top, top class player when you have to play in that way. I’m pretty sure people were a little scared because I lined-up with him, but also I need fresh legs - we cannot forget we played Saturday and Tuesday with travel.
“It’s different if we played in Manchester and no travel.”