Lewis-Skelly hands Arteta selection headache ahead of Atletico Madrid clash
Lewis-Skelly hands Arteta selection headache ahead of Atletico Madrid clash Myles Lewis-Skelly has given Mikel Arteta a selection problem to savour after producing an outstanding midfield performance in Arsenal’s commanding 3-0 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Arteta made five changes to his starting line-up following the difficult trip to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, and one of the most eye-catching decisions was the deployment of Lewis-Skelly in the engine room rather than his more familiar left-back role. The 19-year-old started as a midfielder for the first time in his senior Arsenal career, and responded with a flawless performance.
Lewis-Skelly showed his class with a passing accuracy of 97%. He also won seven duels and made six recoveries against the Cottagers. It was precisely the kind of energetic, high-intensity display that Arsenal supporters have long believed the teenager was capable of producing from the centre of the pitch.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson suggested that the display had created a genuine dilemma for Arteta, saying Lewis-Skelly had “given Mikel a major headache” with his energy and intensity , while Jamie Redknapp added that, whether or not Lewis-Skelly starts against Atletico, he has established himself as one of Arteta’s most reliable options from the bench. Arsenal’s Champions League tie remains finely balanced at 1-1 after the away leg, with Tuesday’s second leg at the Emirates representing one of the most significant occasions in the club’s recent history. Arteta now faces the unenviable task of deciding whether to restore Zubimendi or trust Lewis-Skelly to replicate his Fulham form on the grandest stage.