Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly deserves a start after his fiery debut

Arsenal youth prospect Myles Lewis-Skelly made his debut against Manchester City in bizarre circumstances on Sunday, and it may not be his final appearance this week.

For a couple of years now, Arsenal academy circles have been particularly excited about two midfield prospects: Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Nwaneri has generally taken most of the attention, after his record-breaking debut against Brentford, his positive pre-season displays, and the recent injury to Martin Odegaard.

But Lewis-Skelly has regularly been there at Nwaneri’s side, whether that’s in the England youth teams, the Arsenal u21s, or the more recent first-team squad appearances.

Whilst Nwaneri excels in the final third, with a great eye for goal, excellent control and agility, and a direct approach, Lewis-Skelly’s midfield prowess is more in the early stages of the build-up.

The 17-year-old is a tough tackler despite his size, and he doesn’t struggle under pressure. He’s more than capable of spinning away from a challenge or finding a teammate with a pass around the corner.

That combination has been useful for the duo at youth levels. Lewis-Skelly can win the ball and progress it from defence to attack, and Nwaneri can then capitalise on those attacking situations.

But while Nwaneri made his competitive first-team debut in September 2022, Lewis-Skelly had to wait a couple more years for his.

That day finally came last weekend, with Mikel Arteta opting to throw Lewis-Skelly on as a replacement for the cramping Jurrien Timber.

The circumstances were somewhat unusual, with Lewis-Skelly having already picked up a yellow card for an incident on the sidelines.

The youngster was then involved in a confrontation with Erling Haaland, but fortunately it was nothing serious enough to earn him a second yellow. In his few minutes on the pitch he managed a clearance and one completed pass (from one attempted).

More than that, he stuck up for teammates, he didn’t shy away from squaring up to one of the league’s top players. He showed the confidence you want from a debutant.

The hope now is that Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly both have the opportunity to play more serious minutes against Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup on Wednesday.

The Arsenal squad have come through a big week of away games with a win and two draws, and there will be more than a few senior stars in need of a rest.

What better time to give them one than at home to a lower-league side in the League Cup, with two of the academy’s most promising talents both raring to go?