Mikel Arteta is heading into what could be the biggest game of his managerial career so far, and he has some big decisions to make this weekend.
Indeed, Arsenal face Man City on Sunday in what is, pretty much, a title decider.
Mikel Arteta will only win this game if he picks the right team, and, as strange as it sounds, there’s an argument to make that Myles Lewis-Skelly should be in the starting XI here.
Lewis-Skelly has been in poor form as of late, and he’s had limited opportunities, but, maybe, just maybe, he should be in the starting XI here.
What do you think will happen when Arsenal take on Man City?
Why Myles Lewis-Skelly should start vs Man City
The old saying goes in football – play the game, not the occasion, but in this context, that is almost impossible.
Games don’t come any bigger than this, and as much as Arsenal fans hate this word, it will come down to bottle.
At the age of just 19, Lewis-Skelly has already shown that he performs best when the stakes are highest. Some players take time to grow into big occasions, but he has consistently looked more comfortable in them.
Last season’s 5-1 win over City is the clearest example. Lewis-Skelly was outstanding that day, scoring and playing with a level of confidence that stood out even in a dominant team performance. His celebration, where he mocked Erling Haaland, summed up his mentality. He was not just playing in the game, he was fully embracing it.
That edge matters in fixtures like this.
He showed the same level again in the Champions League against Real Madrid. That was another high-pressure game, another elite opponent, and again he delivered. These are not isolated moments, they are part of a pattern that suggests he rises to the biggest challenges.
Arteta has spoken a lot about the need for “fire” in recent days, especially with Arsenal’s form dipping. Lewis-Skelly brings that naturally. He cares deeply about these games, and that has been clear even before he broke into the first team.
He once picked up a booking from the bench against Manchester City before making his professional debut. That moment says a lot about his mentality. He is emotionally invested, fully engaged, and not afraid of the occasion – he was kicking off against City before he’d even become a professional footballer.
That is exactly what Arsenal need right now.
The trip to the Etihad will test more than just tactical structure. It will test belief, aggression and personality. Lewis-Skelly has already shown he can handle those demands, and he brings an energy that could lift the team in a difficult moment.
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