Soccer
Declan Rice and Mikel Arteta lauded Myles Lewis-Skelly’s “unbelievable” performance in Arsenal’s north London derby victory over Tottenham on Wednesday.
Lewis-Skelly, starting just his fourth Premier League game for the Gunners this season, put on an impressive display on the left-hand side of defence.
He became the second-youngest Arsenal player to start in a north London derby in the Premier League (18y 111d), after Cesc Fabregas, who started home and away as a 17-year-old in the 2004-05 campaign.
Lewis-Skelly ended the contest having won the joint-most tackles (three along with Jurrien Timber) and interceptions (two along with Thomas Partey) against Spurs.
His 93.9% passing accuracy was a total only bettered by Rice (94.1%) of the Arsenal players who started the game at the Emirates Stadium.
Lewis-Skelly was replaced late on by Oleksandr Zinchenko, with the home supporters standing to applaud the 18-year-old’s display against Ange Postecoglou’s side.
“The young boy Myles was unbelievable,” Rice said. “For 18 years of age to be playing how he is…it is just ridiculous. The young players now have no fear, none whatsoever.
“Four or five times in the second-half he used his body to get away from someone. He has that Mousa Dembele type strength.
“It is risky, but to show that personality and character at 18 is unbelievable.”
Lewis-Skelly was faced with Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson during the encounter, with the duo having scored 13 of Spurs’ 43 Premier League goals this season.
But he restricted the pair to just one successful dribble between them, with Arteta expressing his happiness of the 18-year-old’s display in a position unfamiliar to him.
“It’s very rare to see an 18-year-old playing against Kulusevski and Johnson in a big London derby for the first time, perform with that composure, with that attitude, control emotionally. Very rare to see,” Arteta added.
“He makes everybody at the club very proud. He has been in our system for a long time… With him, he was ready very early and in a different position.
“He has never played as a full back before.”
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