Arsenal secured another impressive 3-0 victory in the Champions League on Wednesday, strengthening their position in third place in the group and putting them on track to reach the knockout stages.
While Bukayo Saka earned significant praise for his performance, Myles Lewis-Skelly was arguably the standout player of the match. The 18-year-old seamlessly slotted into the left-back role, earning recognition for his solid display.
In his post-match interview with the BBC, Mikel Arteta expressed his admiration for Lewis-Skelly, highlighting how the young talent continues to surprise him with his performances.
Mikel Arteta surprised by Myles Lewis-Skelly
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta discussed Lewis-Skelly’s progress, expressing his surprise at the youngster’s development.
Arteta mentioned that Lewis-Skelly demonstrates his quality consistently and that he is proud to see him performing at such a high level.
“I think everyone knew about his levels, but his adaptations to the Champions League going up that level, have you been at all surprised how quickly he’s made his mark at this level?” Arteta was asked.
“Well, he keeps surprising us, but that’s what he wants to do. That’s the quality he has, that’s the ambition that he’s acting and preparing himself every single day. So I’m not surprised, but it’s very difficult to do what he’s doing,’ Arteta said.
“Well, a really proud moment. He’s one of our own, 18 years old. He makes his starting debut in the Champions League.
“And it’s just a joy to watch him, you know. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to give a chance to somebody. So he starts to change his career.”
Myles Lewis-Skelly stats vs Monaco
While Lewis-Skelly’s performance against Monaco wasn’t spectacular, it was one of the most composed and confident displays from an 18-year-old in recent memory.
Myles Lewis-Skelly vs Monaco | |
| Pass success rate | 95.7% |
| Dribbles | 3 |
| Tackles | 1 |
The teenager was unafraid to take risks and push forward, trying to drive his team on. Although it wasn’t a standout display in terms of goals, assists, or creativity, he made very few mistakes.
His passing was nearly flawless, and when given the opportunity to advance the ball with his dribbling, he seized it.
On Wednesday night, Lewis-Skelly proved he’s ready for the challenge of being a first-team player at Arsenal, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him starting more regularly in the future.
Mikel Arteta may have uncovered another young talent, following his success in developing Bukayo Saka into a world-class player.
