At the start of October, he was turning out for Arsenal U21s in the EFL Trophy. Fast forward to the start of April, Myles Lewis-Skelly is now a first-team regular, fresh from becoming the youngest England player to score on his debut.
It’s easy to understand why the 18-year-old feels like he’s been in a dream over the course of the past weeks.
Thankfully, he’s got somebody alongside him who’s been there and done it.
Declan Rice made his first team debut at 18 before becoming the most expensive English player of all time. Either side of that, he’s featured in two European Championship finals and helped West Ham to their first trophy in more than 40 years. At just 26, he’s playing a key role in nurturing yet another Hale End academy graduate.
And he’s happy to sit back and smile as the youngster reflects on making history at Wembley – scoring the first goal of England’s Thomas Tuchel era.
“I feel like I’ve been in a kind of dream for the past few weeks. I was blessed to be given the opportunity,” said Lewis-Skelly. “For it to happen the way it did, it was crazy. Hence my reaction when I scored. I couldn’t believe it. I kept looking at the linesman to see if he’d put the flag up!”.
Rice, now a veteran of 64 England caps, reflected on how the teenager handled his first international camp.
Rice and Lewis-Skelly in England training
“I was so impressed. At the start of the week he was with me quite a lot, he was quiet. And then by the end of the week, I hardly saw him!
“He was with everyone else, mixing around. I had loads of the lads coming up to me saying how much they love him, what a guy he is!
“I think that’s the beauty of international football. You play against players and you don’t know what people are actually like.
“In Myles’ case, obviously he’s broken through this year, no one really knows what he’s like as a guy. But then they see him as a person and they’re like ‘wow, he’s a top player but also he’s a top guy as well’. We had a lot of fun last week. You were with the Villa boys a lot, you know? Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, you sat with them most nights. He left me, he left me!”
Lewis-Skelly became the youngest England player to score on debut against Albania
Lewis-Skelly only made his first team debut in September against Manchester City and has gone on to make 25 more appearances for the club. The highlight of his club career so far, undoubtedly his first senior goal against the champions at the Emirates – followed by a memorable celebration as he imitated Erling Haaland.
A perfect riposte after the Norwegian asked the youngster who he was when the two sides met in a stormy affair earlier in the season.
“To score my first goal for the club, that I supported as youngster, it means the world. It’s crazy!” Lewis-Skelly said.
And the celebration?
“I don’t know really. I was kind of in the flow. I wasn’t really thinking. Everything just kicked in.”
Rice has refused to give up on the Premier League title
Rice is keen to jump in.
“I think people went a bit over the top with it in terms of what they were saying about it [the celebration]. I know Erling took it on the chin. It’s football at the end of the day! I know he has a lot of respect for Haaland. It wasn’t a mean gesture, it was just in the moment.
“Let’s focus more on the goal he scored, which was unreal. And it was with his right foot, which was a shock!”.
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The Soccer Saturday panel discuss Andrea Berta joining Arsenal as a sporting director and what the Italian’s top priorities should be at the Emirates with Mikel Arteta
It’s often forgotten that Lewis-Skelly progressed through the Arsenal academy as a midfielder.
He’s now excelling for the first team in an inverted full-back role. And while he admits he just wants to be “adaptable” and “effective” in whatever role Mikel Arteta chooses for him, Rice is certain about where his long-term future lies.
Lewis-Skelly is now a first team regular at Arsenal
“Obviously, at the moment, the way the manager likes to play with the role of inside left-back suits Myles to a tee,” Rice said. “I think eventually he will be a midfielder. He’s got all the capabilities to play No.6, No. 8, wherever he wants really. At the minute, he’s excelling as a left-back.
“Even his defensive duels, his 1v1s are outstanding, which again, he wasn’t able to do last year. Coming up against sharp wingers, he’s dealt with it so well. I think his future is definitely midfield and Arsenal have a player now who can play in multiple positions”.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says Bukayo Saka is ‘ready to go’ after three months out injured
With the likes of Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri excelling and Bukayo Saka returning there’s fresh optimism that Arsenal can end the season on a real high.
Heading into Tuesday’s match against Fulham, Arsenal trail league leaders Liverpool by 12 points. However, Rice says that the Gunners are not giving up on the title.
“We have to win every game. Like the manager says, we have to just control what we can control and that’s winning football matches ourselves.
“We can’t rely on others or rely on Liverpool losing games because they’ve got themselves in the position they’ve got themselves into. It’s down to us to now win our remaining games and see what happens.”
