"He has everything" - Arsenal talent Myles Lewis-Skelly names Gunners star he wants to keep learning from after Champions League debut
Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly has named Bukayo Saka as the player he wishes to continue learning from at the club after making his full UEFA Champions League debut. The teenager featured from the start for the Gunners as they beat Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
With Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Oleksandr Zinchenko out injured, Arsenal were left light at the back. Manager Mikel Arteta showed his trust in the club's academy by naming 18-year-old midfielder Lewis-Skelly in the starting XI ahead of the fit-again Kieran Tierney.
Myles Lewis-Skelly played 64 minutes in his first start in the Champions League, performing impressively for his side. After the game, he pointed out that Saka remains one of his role models and he feels pleased with his own progress at the club.
“I’m over the moon. I've come a long way. I just want to thank everyone for giving me opportunity. Hopefully, it's first of many and push on from here. Looking up to Bukayo, he has everything. I've learned a lot from him I want to keep learning," he said via Fabrizio Romano.
Born in Islington, North London, and raised in Arsenal's Hale End football school, Myles Lewis-Skelly had the club's fans applauding his role in the first goal. The teenager showed great composure to turn away from pressure before playing a fine through ball to Gabriel Jesus, who fed Saka to score the opener.
At 18, Lewis-Skelly became the youngest player to start for the Gunners in the competition since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2011. The teenager completed 96 percent of his 47 passes attempted in the game as he displayed tidiness and composure on the ball that belied his age.
Arsenal close in on UEFA Champions League knockout phase with Monaco win
Arsenal have moved closer to a place in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League this season after their win over AS Monaco. The Premier League side claimed a 3-0 win to inflict a second successive defeat on the French outfit.
Faced with an injury crisis, Arsenal did not allow this to deter them as they took the lead in the 34th minute through in-form star Saka. The Gunners were in cruise control and doubled their advantage in the 78th minute when Saka benefited from a defensive error to score.
Kai Havertz was introduced off the bench and scored a third goal for his side in the 88th minute to seal the win. The Gunners have now won four of their six games in the competition and occupy third place in the league format.