Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly sent Mikel Arteta a timely reminder of his undoubted quality with an eye-catching performance in the England Under-21s’ 4-1 win over Moldova evening.
It’s proven a tough year for Lewis-Skelly after what was a phenomenal breakout season for the 19-year-old in Arsenal’s first-team last term.
But Lewis-Skelly looked well and truly back to his best in England’s UEFA U21 Championship qualifier tonight, showcasing the kind of confidence and precocious ability that earned him a first senior call-up 12 months ago.
Lee Carsley gave Lewis-Skelly the nod at left-back at Carrow Road in an England team also boasting the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Josh Acheampong and Ethan Nwaneri.
Nwaneri stole the limelight with the opener after only 11 minutes in Norwich, but it was Lewis-Skelly’s exquisite play in the build-up that led to England’s early breakthrough.
The versatile Arsenal full-back – who found himself in midfield for large parts of tonight’s clash – spun on the turn smartly before dancing around a Moldovan defender and unleashing a shot with the outside of the boot at Artur Nazarciuc’s goal.
Nazarciuc managed to get a firm glove to Lewis-Skelly’s strike, but the rebound fell directly into the path of Nwaneri, who cooly slotted home to the goalkeeper’s left.
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Just 14 minutes later, Lewis-Skelly added another moment to his impressive highlights reel, beating two Moldovans in some style before finding Nwaneri again with an audacious flicked pass.
Nwaneri let himself down with his finish on this occasion and the Arsenal forward – who is currently on loan at Marseille – was duly punished for his wastefulness as Moldova equalised through Vasile Luchita at the start of the second half.
The hosts restored their lead on the hour-mark, though, as Archie Gray found the corner with a well-taken effort from the edge of the box, before Nwaneri added his second of the night – assisted by, you guessed it, Lewis-Skelly – in the 73rd minute.
Second-half substitute Romain Esse increased England’s advantage in the closing stages and Carsley’s men held firm to tighten their grip on top spot in Group D of qualifying.
Lewis-Skelly has made just one start across Arsenal’s entire Premier League campaign having started 15 times across his extraordinary debut season with the Gunners last term.
In recent days, he has even been linked with Manchester United as a possible escape route out of Arsenal, where his first-team minutes have been severity limited.
As clips of Lewis-Skelly’s performance for the England U21s began doing the rounds on social media this evening, some Arsenal fans began calling for Arteta to unshackle the youngster.
‘FREE MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY MAN,’ one Gooner wrote on X.
Another said: ‘Lewis-Skelly has been horribly under utilised this season, hope the rumours of him potentially leaving in the summer are nonsense! Top player.’
‘Arsenal fans don’t understand what we have in Lewis-Skelly,’ a third wrote.
‘So so good from Lewis-Skelly in the build up. Give him more minutes!’ said another supporter in response to Nwaneri’s 11th-minute goal.
Asked about Lewis-Skelly’s reduced involvement prior to Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen, Arteta said: ‘Every season is different.
‘He had very good moments in this season. He had other moments when he hasn’t played in that much.
‘Obviously, a few days ago, in the FA Cup, he was suspended and he could not play. So, there are various reasons. Sometimes, as well, the good form of your teammates.
‘There’s a lot of factors that contribute to that. But he’s doing well.’
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