Joleon Lescott has paid tribute to the “immense” contribution of Manchester City team-mate Gareth Barry this season.
Lescott, 29, has been ever-present in the Blues’ squad this campaign and has contributed much to their table-topping Christmas effort.
But the former Everton & Wolves defender singled out Barry’s particular impact on the team, even above the likes of David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero.
“Gareth has been immense for club and country,” the defender told reporters on Friday.
“He is one of those players you don’t really appreciate until he’s not there. He is just so consistent. You can’t sing his praises enough.
“If you ask any of our midfielders who they most want to play with, their preference would be Gareth Barry.”
The former Aston Villa man’s place in the starting XI may have been threatened by the arrivals of stellar names such as Yaya Toure and Nigel de Jong, yet Lescott believes that the 30-year-old’s effort has secured his spot amongst the first team.
“He hasn’t changed anything,” Lescott revealed. “He believes in himself and just carried on with his own consistent performances.
“You need people like Gareth to balance attack and defence.”
City travel to the Hawthorns on Boxing Day to face a resurgent West Brom side who have won their last two games, and Barry believes City must not underestimate Roy Hodgson’s men if they are to come away with a win.
Barry said: “The manager said to us before our match against Stoke [City] on Wednesday that if we showed the same spirit as we had done for the game with Arsenal at the weekend and put in the same hard work, we would win the game.
“That same attitude has to apply at West Brom too because we don’t want to slip down a gear.
“They have just won their last two games, but we are going there with confidence.
“We’re top of the table and playing some great stuff.”