The England international played the full 90 minutes in Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford at the heart of Pep Guardiola’s defence alongside Ruben Dias.
As goals from Erling Haaland (two) and Phil Foden secured a deserved success in the Manchester derby, the Yorkshireman shone in a flexible defensive role.
Stones’ performance was yet another example of him flourishing when stepping out of the back four and marauding into midfield.
And Lescott told Matchday Live he can’t envision any other defender being able to replicate the glistening displays of the 29-year-old.
“That style of play is only unique to John Stones. There’s not another centre-back who can play like that in the world,” he explained.
“Players can play forward when you can see the game in front of you – there are players and defenders who are comfortable, but the worst thing for a defender to hear is ‘man on’.
“When you hear ‘man on’ you know you feel surrounded so it goes back to where it came from.
“John Stones is able to receive it on a half turn, play forward and drive forward.
“That is unique to him because we don’t ask any of our other centre-halves to do that because he’s the one with the attributes that allow him to do that.”
Not only did Stones receive individual recognition for his display at Old Trafford from Lescott, but the former City defender also paid tribute to Ederson’s performance.
Despite the visitors at Old Trafford recording 61% possession, the Brazil delivered when he was called into action.
This was perfectly reflected when he produced a fantastic save to deny Scott McTominay’s stinging strike in first-half stoppage time when City held a one-goal lead.
But the 2012 Premier League winner says Ederson’s outstanding ability with the ball at his feet is instrumental to the way City play.
Lescott added: “There was no one who was uncomfortable and didn’t contribute [to the win].
“Ederson goes underrated because [sometimes] you want goalkeepers to make saves to get recognition, but the way he can nullify a press by threading the ball through once being closed down.
“All of a sudden you see a gap between their midfield and defence and now teams think ‘we can’t press’.
“Defenders don’t want to be pressing the opposition half because there’s so much space in-behind.
“Once Manchester United went a bit higher up and then Ederson found the spare midfielder and it’s having confidence in your teammate to know ‘that this ball is going to come to me’.
“It was crazy, that.”
