Arsenal v Aston Villa: Myles Lewis-Skelly foul drawing expertise a great bet | OneFootball

English Premier League

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones - aka Jones Knows - remains excited about Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly and wants to back him again to draw fouls against Aston Villa...

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Arsenal v Aston VillaSaturday January 18, 17:30 Live on Sky Sports

The time is now for Arsenal to put foot down

This has to be the time for Arsenal to grab this Premier League season by the scruff it of it's neck. They have been bubbling away without really finding the ruthless streak associated with champions. Arsenal are currently on an 11 Premier League match unbeaten run, taking 25 points from a last possible 33 - no team has taken more points from their last 11 games. Liverpool have also taken 25.

That win over Tottenham could be a big moment in their season after their sketchy results in the cup. It wasn't barnstorming, more workmanlike, but getting over the line in a game of that magnitude did feel like it could be the start of something. Mikel Arteta will be hoping that something is a winning run. They are 1.55 for another home win here with the Betfair Exchange - a price that will make little appeal to punters that like to put faith in head-to-heads as Aston Villa have won five of their last 13 Premier League visits to Arsenal.

Yet, the Gunners are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League home games, winning 10, since that 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last April which proved a hammer blow to their title chances.

I'm happy to swerve the outright in a bid to find a best bet.

MLS is an exciting betting prospect

Having covered Arsenal win at Tottenham at The Emirates on Wednesday, one of my main takeouts was the performance of Myles Lewis-Skelly. He is a freak. At just 18-years-old he relished the north London derby occasion and played well above his years.

Tottenham are a dangerous team down the right flank with Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski but you wouldn't have known based on this game. Lewis-Skelly saw all comers off with a performance full of tenacity, class and an amazing maturity.

No player made more tackles for Arsenal (4), won possession more times (6) and had a higher passing accuracy (93.8 per cent) than Lewis-Skelly as the statistics backed up the visuals.

But a betting angle that continues to draw me in is his ability to draw fouls. He plays with a very streetwise nature and is happy to initiate contact and hit the deck to get himself out of a sticky situation.

In his eight starts he's drawn 18 fouls, putting him above the two fouls drawn per game average and the visual of his performances back up the data that he's going to be a great player to back in the to be fouled market when the prices are right. And they still remain in our favour with 13/10 on offer for him to be fouled two or more times.

Recommended bets

Back Myles Lewis-Skelly to be fouled at least twice @ 13/10