Darren Bent has predicted that Mikel Arteta will drop Myles Lewis-Skelly for the Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, despite the teenager delivering a '10 out of 10' performance against Fulham. The 19-year-old Hale End Academy graduate has found playing time limited this season following his breakthrough last term, where he excelled as a makeshift left-back.
Lewis-Skelly's Impressive Display
With the Champions League clash on the horizon, Arteta made several changes for Saturday's Premier League match against Fulham, handing Lewis-Skelly his first start in his preferred central midfield role. The youngster rewarded his manager's faith with an all-action display, but Bent believes it will not be enough to secure a place in the starting lineup against Diego Simeone's side on Wednesday.
'Zubimendi will probably come back in because he's the more senior player,' Bent told Premier League Live. 'But I think the manager will be looking at his performance today thinking, do you know what, if a game's going on against Atletico and it's not quite working, he'll have no doubts whatsoever. He knows he's good enough to play in there, go and play. I understand Zubimendi's been outstanding this season, maybe he's faltered a bit of late.'
Bent's Verdict on Lewis-Skelly's Performance
Bent was full of praise for Lewis-Skelly's display, calling it a 'top level performance.' He added: 'Myles Lewis-Skelly, that's not just a normal performance where you go, he did OK, he did alright. He is capable of playing there, that was a top level performance.'
Potential Role in Run-In
However, Bent suggested that with games coming thick and fast, Arteta will have seen enough to be confident that Lewis-Skelly could still have a role to play in midfield during the remainder of the season. 'I genuinely think Mikel Arteta will be looking at that thinking, if he doesn't play against Atletico, he could definitely play against West Ham.'
'I think it's important to have the right players and environment around him. Putting him alongside the likes of Declan and Eberechi Eze is key. I think Declan will always talk to him. He had Mark Noble for him when he got in that West Ham team. I think it was the perfect environment, the perfect opposition in terms of a team that wasn't really going to press, although I thought they'd be better. He was just outstanding today.'
Breaking Down the Performance
Bent highlighted Lewis-Skelly's ability to break up play and pass the ball forward as key attributes. 'All the little bits he had to do, breaking up play, passing the ball forwards. That was the key, too often in the last few weeks we've seen Arsenal players pass the buck and go backwards. That then allows the team to get back into shape and then it's hard to break down.'
'The moment Lewis-Skelly got it, he was on the half-turn, then boom, where's Saka, where's Eze, where's Trossard? Then when you've beaten that press early, Arsenal can play in the areas they want.'
