Myles Lewis-Skelly: Teenager inspires Arsenal rout over Manchester City

When Myles Lewis-Skelly first appeared before him, Erling Haaland questioned, "Who are you?" The Manchester City super striker was not pleased to be questioned by the young Arsenal player at the Etihad in September.

That initial encounter occurred after a fiery 2-2 draw at the Etihad, when Lewis-Skelly, who hadn't even played a minute of Premier League football, made headlines for receiving a yellow card while warming up on the sidelines. Haaland needed no further introduction, as the 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly inspired Arsenal to a 5-1 victory, keeping them in the title race, and delivered a goal celebration that seemed specifically aimed at the Manchester City striker.

A once unfamiliar name will now be etched in memory. After scoring his first Arsenal goal, Lewis-Skelly dropped to his knees and then crossed his arms, performing the meditation celebration often used by Haaland himself. The young player savored the pure theatricality of the moment. His Arsenal teammates surrounded him, letting him soak in every second. If Lewis-Skelly fulfills the potential he has shown, this could become an iconic image.

His contribution—and his celebration—came in a game he should have missed, as he was controversially sent off against Wolves eight days prior, only for the red card to be rescinded on appeal. Manchester City must have wished that red card hadn’t been overturned. Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott said on Matchday 2, "I've seen Lewis-Skelly up close, and his overall attitude is very prominent; he performs beyond his years. He's not afraid of Haaland at all; he oozes confidence."

Arsenal’s joy contrasted sharply with Manchester City's pain. Haaland was viewed as the villain by the home fans, who hadn't forgotten his “stay humble” message to manager Mikel Arteta in the post-match melee in September. When Martin Ødegaard put Arsenal ahead, Gabriel celebrated in front of Haaland, while banners in the stands reminded him of his spat with Arteta. All this animosity can be traced back to that September encounter, when Arsenal almost held on for a win with 10 men after Leandro Trossard was sent off in the first half. The Gunners had to settle for a draw that day when John Stones scored a late equalizer for City.

In the aftermath, Guardiola stoked the rivalry with Arsenal, saying, “You want war? Now we have war.” Of course, this was purely in the sporting sense, but this encounter ultimately turned into a one-sided battle, a humiliation for the dethroned champions, Manchester City, who have now developed a worrying habit of complete collapses when faced with adversity. City conceded four second-half goals in their 4-2 away defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last month. The situation was similar here. Has an elite team ever fallen so completely from grace?

As if Arsenal didn’t have enough to celebrate, Lewis-Skelly again proved himself a player to watch, and another young player, Ethan Nwaneri, added the icing on the cake with a brilliant late goal. Arsenal may have lost 18-year-old Aiden Heaven, a player they viewed as a future star, to Manchester United, but this victory showed they have two more young gems. Lewis-Skelly showed his confidence and character in that angry exchange at the Etihad. Since then, he has proven that he can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk.

He oozed confidence and settled Arsenal's nerves with a powerful shot in the 62nd minute, although Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega should have done better than let the ball slip through his grasp. He enjoyed a deserved standing ovation when he was substituted in the 88th minute. Lewis-Skelly’s emergence has filled a potential problem position for Arsenal at left-back. New England manager Thomas Tuchel, who also has limited options in that position, will be watching him closely.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “You need great individual performances to beat Manchester City in the way we did, and Myles was certainly one of them, showing maturity and competitiveness. And most importantly, he scored a goal. Ethan also came on with that character and scored a beautiful goal. He’s been pushing us since he joined us. We really like his character and personality. He’s very brave. He’s well prepared, very intelligent, and has the qualities to fit the way we play. He’s earned the respect of his teammates. He’s getting some minutes and is demanding more. He deserves to play even when the competition is high.”

Lewis-Skelly’s contribution was crucial, as this was effectively a "must-win" game for Arsenal, even at this stage of the season. Defeat was unthinkable, as it would have left them nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played a game more. Arsenal will feel that a six-point gap is still one they can close. The manner and magnitude of this victory over Manchester City will enhance that feeling. The win extends their unbeaten league run to 14 games, indicating that they will be ready to pounce should Liverpool slip up.

As Lewis-Skelly took his triumphant bow while the end credits rolled on this statement victory, Arsenal fans declared him “one of our own.” Arsenal may have a superstar in the making, with the young player helping their Premier League title challenge stay on track. The final insult to Haaland and Manchester City came after the final whistle, when Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” was played over the stadium’s public address system. If Arsenal heed their own advice, this could be a Premier League title race to remember.