Arsenal: Myles Lewis-Skelly bravery a key strength but balancing act needed after latest red card scare | OneFootball

Lewis-Skelly has proven himself to be a quick learner and challenge is now to better pick his moments to take risks

Fortunate: Myles Lewis-Skelly could easily have been sent off against PSV

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Certainly the fact Lewis-Skelly started Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg against PSV Eindhoven did not raise any eyebrows.

It was a mixed night for the teenager, who brilliantly combined with Ethan Nwaneri to set up Arsenal’s second goal.

Receiving the ball in the penalty area, Lewis-Skelly showed quick feet to beat his defender and pick out Nwaneri with a cut-back.

It was an emphatic finish from Nwaneri and the first time in Champions League history that two English teenagers had combined to score.

Not even 15 minutes later, however, Lewis-Skelly was being substituted by Mikel Arteta and his night was over earlier than anyone expected.

Already on a booking, Lewis-Skelly had fortuitously escaped a second yellow card when mistiming a tackle on PSV winger Richard Ledezma.

The two fouls, in the space of just three minutes, could easily have seen Lewis-Skelly given his marching orders for the third time in seven matches.

Myles Lewis-Skelly was fortunate to escape a third red card in seven matches

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Given that his red card at Wolves in January should never have stood, perhaps this was a classic case of football and decisions evening themselves out over the course of the season.

Arteta was quick to substitute Lewis-Skelly, however, almost as soon as Arsenal got the third goal that effectively killed this game.

The Spaniard hugged Lewis-Skelly as he came off and so did several of his backroom staff, too.

“I haven’t seen the second action, but when there is so much noise as well, you play away from home, I didn’t want to take any risk,” Arteta told Amazon Prime Video.

It was sensible management by Arteta and a reminder too that Lewis-Skelly is still learning. His challenge on Ledezma was naive and not the type of tackle to be made when on a booking.

Lewis-Skelly has shown himself to be a quick learner, as demonstrated by the fact he has transformed into a left-back despite spending his academy career playing in midfield, and he will learn from Tuesday night.

Arsenal’s senior players will play a key role, with Declan Rice one of those understood to be instrumental in helping Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly this season as they adapt to first-team football.

Part of the reason Arteta loves Lewis-Skelly is his courage and bravery, both on and off the ball.

It can lead to him playing himself into trouble, as was the case for his red card against West Ham last month, but it is also a huge weapon in Arsenal’s build-up.

The challenge for Lewis-Skelly and Arteta is refining that, finding the right moments when the teenager should take risks.

It is all part of his development and, as Lewis-Skelly has shown over the course of this season, he is a fast learner. Given an England call-up could be on the cards next week, such a trait feels crucial.