Mikel Arteta said Myles Lewis-Skelly earned his place in Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final win over Atletico Madrid after again trusting the teenager in midfield.
Lewis-Skelly started as Arsenal beat Atletico 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, with Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal securing a 2-1 aggregate victory and sending Arteta’s side into the Champions League final.
The decision was one of the most notable parts of Arteta’s team selection. Arsenal had Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard available again after injury concerns, but the manager kept faith with the same starting XI that had beaten Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League.
Lewis-Skelly had impressed in that game in a midfield role, and Arteta decided the 19-year-old had done enough to keep his place for one of the biggest matches in the club’s recent history.
Asked whether using Lewis-Skelly in midfield had been planned as a surprise for Atletico, Arteta said it was more instinctive than that.
“It wasn’t intentional,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “It was just a feeling.”
That feeling proved significant. Lewis-Skelly gave Arsenal composure, energy and balance in midfield, helping the hosts manage a tense first half before Saka struck just before the interval.
Arteta also revealed that he had considered several possible line-ups before settling on continuity from the Fulham win.
“You should see my iPad, the amount of line-ups that I put in and changed and turned it again,” he said. “I had such a good feeling for what I saw a few days ago against Fulham.”
The Arsenal manager admitted it was difficult to leave senior players out, particularly given the scale of the occasion. Havertz and Odegaard both returned to the squad, but neither started as Arteta prioritised the rhythm and balance that had worked at the weekend.
“It was painful because it’s always difficult to keep important players out because they all want to be involved and start this kind of games,” Arteta said.
For Lewis-Skelly, though, the selection was not simply about one strong performance against Fulham. Arteta said the teenager’s attitude and consistency in training had made the decision possible.
“I think I’ve been tough on him, quite tough,” Arteta said. “He’s been very, very persistent and consistent in his behaviours.
“He’s been knocking on the door constantly to have the right to play and I think he deserved it.”
It was another major step in a breakthrough season for Lewis-Skelly, who has now been trusted in midfield in back-to-back high-pressure fixtures. Arsenal’s route to the Champions League final has been built on established players, but this was also a night that underlined Arteta’s willingness to reward form, freshness and readiness over reputation.
Lewis-Skelly has become more than just a young player gaining experience. He has shown he can contribute in defining matches, and Arteta’s selection call has been emphatically justified.