Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has singled out young defender Myles Lewis-Skelly for criticism after Bayern Munich's spectacular equaliser against the Gunners in a gripping Champions League encounter.
Arsenal take early lead in heavyweight clash
In a match where Arsenal had failed to beat Bayern Munich for over a decade, Mikel Arteta's side started brightly against the German giants. Despite Bayern controlling possession in the opening exchanges, it was Arsenal who struck first after 22 minutes when Jurrien Timber powered home a magnificent header from Bukayo Saka's corner, leaving legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with no chance.
Bayern's breathtaking response
The visitors responded in spectacular fashion just ten minutes later through 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl. The highly-rated teenager finished off a mesmerising 24-pass team move to level the scores, becoming the youngest player in Champions League history to score in his first two appearances in the competition.
Remarkably, England captain Harry Kane was the only Bayern player not to touch the ball during the extended build-up before former Gunner Serge Gnabry found Karl for the exquisite finish, leaving the group-stage tie perfectly poised heading into the second half.
Pundits divided over defensive blame
Analysing the goal on Sky Sports, Merson was unequivocal in his assessment of where the responsibility lay. 'Lewis-Skelly falls asleep. It's a diagonal ball over to Michael Olise but he falls asleep Lewis-Skelly, it goes over his head,' the ex-England midfielder stated.
'But what a goal, honestly! It goes over the top of Lewis-Skelly, Olise's made a great run and he just plays a volley across the goal and there's Karl who comes running in and smashes it in the net. It's a phenomenal goal, a brilliant goal. Karl scores out of nothing.'
However, TNT Sports pundits Owen Hargreaves and Martin Keown offered a different perspective, instead praising Harry Kane's contribution to the goal. 'You can talk about Lennart Karl, and he is exceptional, but look at Harry Kane, he's the one causing chaos,' former Bayern midfielder Hargreaves explained during half-time analysis.
'He drops a little bit deeper, Gnabry gets wide and it's a brilliant first-time pass and set. But look where Harry Kane is there... it gives William Saliba something to think about.'
Ex-Arsenal defender Keown supported this view, noting: 'I think you're right because Saliba would then have been back, just to cover around a little bit. There's 24 passes for that goal and Harry Kane doesn't touch it, but he has an effect on the goal.'
The result leaves everything to play for when these European heavyweights meet again, with Arsenal hoping to end their long winless run against the German champions.
