Incredible Myles Lewis-Skelly statistic proves why defender is key to Mikel Arteta’s Premier League ambitions

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Arsenal will be formulating a fresh approach for their next Premier League encounter after a laboured performance against Leicester City.

Arsenal fans want to see Mikel Merino at centre forward following the Spaniard’s heroic brace in the second half to clinch three vital points for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Gunners are on their longest unbeaten run for 14 years but will know that performances will have to improve if they are to keep pace at the top of the Premier League table.

Fans were outraged at the performance of Raheem Sterling but were once again full of praise for academy duo Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

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Myles Lewis-Skelly is Premier League’s second best in ground duels won

Lewis-Skelly made a match-winning clearance against Leicester and it is moments like that which have made the young defender into such an important player for Arteta.

Arsenal have a lot of options in defence with the return of Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori also in good form but Lewis-Skelly has shown he simply can’t be dropped from the side.

Only Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa has a better ground duel win rate than the 18-year-old Hale End graduate and Lewis-Skelly has shown ever since breaking into the Arsenal first team squad that he can handle any opponent.

Not only has he been defensively sound, the young star has been confident on the ball and is able to wriggle free in tight situations. He even scored his first goal for the club in the 5-1 win over Manchester City.

Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori give Arteta different types of options at left back

The run of form from Lewis-Skelly has meant that Italian international Calafiori has been on the bench for the Gunners. However, by no means is his Arsenal career over.

Calafiori showed what he can produce with a winning goal against Wolves last month and whilst fitness issues have hampered his first season at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta will know what qualities he can also bring to the side.

Remarkably, Lewis-Skelly is yet to lose a tackle this season when being dribbled at and also keeps possession and drives forward better than Calafiori.

However, the Italian has shown his worth with the ability to find more progressive passes through the lines and is impressive in the air. Calafiori’s burst and pass to Leandro Trossard helped to secure the win at the King Power Stadium.

It gives Arteta such wonderful options at left back and it would be no surprise if we saw both of the Arsenal stars in the same eleven before the end of the season, given the lack of availability at the other end of the pitch.