Arsenal’s win against Fulham on Saturday was a statement.
The Gunners were excellent against the Whites, and, interestingly, three of Arsenal’s best performers on the day were players who were returning to the team.
Riccardo Calafiori was excellent at left-back after coming back in for Piero Hincapie, while Bukayo Saka was arguably Man of the Match on the right wing.
Myles Lewis-Skelly’s performance against Fulham has quickly become one of the biggest talking points from Arsenal’s win, and Darren Bent has made it clear this was not just another solid showing from a young player.
You’re Mikel Arteta: How do you use Myles Lewis-Skelly going forwards?
Incredible in the midfield against Fulham
Darren Bent hails Myles Lewis-Skelly after Fulham showing
Lewis-Skelly stepped into midfield and delivered a display that looked completely natural, despite the level and the pressure. For a 19-year-old still establishing himself, that alone would have been impressive. What stood out, though, was how comfortable he looked throughout.
Bent summed it up clearly, speaking on Premier League Productions.
“I know he’s good enough to go and play in there, go and play because I understand Zubimendi has been outstanding this season. Maybe he’s faltered a little bit of late, but for Myles Lewis-Skelly, that wasn’t just a normal performance where you go, yeah, he did okay, he did all right, he’s capable of playing in there. That was a top level performance” Bent said.
“So I genuinely think now Mikel might be looking at that game. If he doesn’t play against Atletico, he could definitely play against West Ham.”
That is a strong statement.
It moves the conversation away from potential and into immediate impact. This was not about a young player showing promise, it was about someone delivering at the level Arsenal need right now.
The context makes it even more important.
Martin Zubimendi has been a key player in that role, and even with a slight dip in form, he remains a trusted option. For Lewis-Skelly to come in and perform like that puts real pressure on the Spaniard.
Bent’s comments suggest that Arteta now has a genuine decision to make, rather than simply managing minutes for a young player. If someone performs at that level, it becomes difficult to ignore, regardless of age or experience.
Lewis-Skelly lost his place in the Arsenal team for most of this season, but now, he could well be back amongst Mikel Arteta’s top picks in midfield.
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