Myles Lewis-Skelly impressed on his first Champions League start on Wednesday night, helping Arsenal to victory over AS Monaco and catching the eye in the process.
Though he’d already done well in a couple of substitute appearances and one League Cup start for Arsenal, Wednesday was Myles Lewis-Skelly’s first opportunity to show what he can do from the start of a Champions League game.
Lewis-Skelly was heavily involved in the first goal of the 3-0 win, holding off a challenge before sliding a through ball to Gabriel Jesus, whose cross found Bukayo Saka for a tap-in.
Saka was one of the players mobbing Lewis-Skelly after the goal, and he explained afterwards what he’d said to the 18-year-old.
“I just said to him, like I said to him before the game, that this is his level,” Saka recalled. “He needs to have no doubts up here with the confidence. What he’s doing, we see it in training. I was pleased with him and he was a big part of the first goal.
“He’s very bright, he just needs to keep the same head that he’s got. His mentality is top, he’s always asking questions, looking to learn so I’m so proud of him.”
Mikel Arteta was similarly pleased with the player’s performance in his first start in the competition.
“Really proud moment. He’s one of our own, 18 years old. He makes his starting debut in the Champions League and he’s just a joy to watch him you know,” Arteta said.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to give a chance to somebody, to start to change his career. He certainly took the chance and it’s great that we can trust him, that he can play in this environment and on this level and I was really happy with his performance.
“In pre-season he opened our eyes to say I’m ready, the same as Ethan. He feels comfortable in this environment, they can perform, they can compete which is important as well not just play and today he’s shown that he’s at that level.”
As for Lewis-Skelly himself, he says he only found out on the day of the game that he would be in the lineup.
“I heard at lunchtime,” he revealed. “I tried to play it down, but inside I was buzzing! I was just so excited to come and play, and told some of my family not to tell anyone. I was just excited.
“I’m over the moon. I’m just grateful to have been given an opportunity to get my starting debut. I’m going to kick on and help the team out as much as I can.”
With Arsenal’s left-back injury list at the moment, there may be more chances in store for Lewis-Skelly in the coming games.
Arsenal are next in action against Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, then Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-finals next Wednesday.
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