Arsenal legend Ian Wright has called on Mikel Arteta to give Myles Lewis-Skelly another chance after the young left-back was overlooked during the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
After an impressive breakthrough season for both club and country, Lewis-Skelly has largely been ignored at Arsenal this term. The 19-year-old has only featured in one Premier League game and has not made a league appearance since early January.
With Riccardo Calafiori unavailable on multiple occasions, Arteta has often relied on Piero Hincapie to cover at left-back, relegating Lewis-Skelly to third-choice in the position where he excelled just a year ago. This Sunday at Wembley was no different, as Lewis-Skelly remained on the sidelines while Nico O’Reilly came on to score the decisive goal for Manchester City.
Wright pointed to Lewis-Skelly’s standout performances last season, including his Champions League quarter-final displays against Real Madrid, as evidence of his potential impact.
He argued that the youngster’s ability to drift inside and contribute to Arsenal’s build-up play could have provided a key difference in the Carabao Cup final and believes he deserves a bigger role during the crucial stages of the season.
“I’ve spoken about Myles Lewis-Skelly when he played against Real Madrid; he had an outstanding game,” Wright told The Overlap. “Since then, he’s been somewhat sidelined. On Sunday, Arsenal needed a left-back who is comfortable on the ball and can invert the play—that’s exactly what he can offer. He’s the type of player who can help us link play and get on the ball.”
When asked by Gary Neville about Lewis-Skelly being third-choice, Wright added: “There’s no doubt that he has the talent and potential to succeed. I’m not saying he would replicate exactly what O’Reilly did, but giving him minutes would boost his confidence tremendously. Right now, whether he’s behind Hincapie or Calafiori, he can’t break into the team.
We needed a footballer on Sunday, and that’s why it was frustrating to watch him sit on the bench. Seeing him on the pitch would energize the team and the fans alike.”
Although Lewis-Skelly signed a long-term contract last year, speculation has linked him with a move to Manchester United, where he is seen as a potential long-term replacement for Luke Shaw. For now, Wright is advocating for Arteta to reintegrate the talented youngster into the squad and give him a chance to fulfill his promise.
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