Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal star has been a ‘liability’ after firing warning
The Arsenal boss was forced to take him off.
Mikel Arteta has admitted Myles Lewis-Skelly became a ‘liability’ during the Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven, insisting it will be a ‘lesson to learn’ for the youngster.
The teenager has enjoyed a superb breakout season in the Gunners’ first team and is in contention to make Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad which will be announced next week.
Lewis-Skelly returned to the starting XI as Arsenal romped to a 7-1 win over PSV in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie.
The teenager served a suspension in the previous match against Nottingham Forest having been sent off in the shock home defeat to West Ham United.
Lewis-Skelly started brightly but was replaced after just 35 minutes by Riccardo Calafiori.
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The left-back had already been booked for a foul on Luuk de Jong and was perhaps lucky to avoid a second for a challenge on Richard Ledezma.
A red on Wednesday night would have been his second in as many games having also seen a third overturned in January following a highly contentious foul on Matt Doherty at Wolves.
Arsenal head to Manchester United on Sunday with Lewis-Skelly hoping to start after serving that domestic suspension last week with Arteta warning ‘there is a thin line’ in football he must be aware of.
‘It was quite clear that we had a liability there with the yellow card and the next action,’ Arteta told a press conference on Friday.
‘So it was a moment to not take any risk and learn from that experience and manage the game for so long especially with how important this competition is.
‘So it is a lesson to learn for him for sure, we will support and help him but the line is really thin in this sport and he has to learn that.
‘He is very intelligent, extremely demanding of himself.
‘He is a professional and he has a great environment around him and he is here to learn as well.’
Arsenal went two games without scoring before plundering seven in Eindhoven on Tuesday with the makeshift front three of Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri all on the score sheet.
Arteta’s side have effectively booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League thanks to that result ahead of next week’s second leg with Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid awaiting in the next round.
Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates in their final game before the international break on Sunday 16 March.
