Arteta urges Lewis-Skelly to learn as media fuel narrative built on referee’s mistake | OneFootball

Myles Lewis-Skelly is being unfairly cast as a disciplinary risk, with Mikel Arteta backing the teenager after a narrative built on that ridiculous red card.

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Mikel Arteta has said that Myles Lewis-Skelly must learn to navigate the fine margins of elite football, with the Arsenal manager offering his support as the teenager looks to move past a growing and undeserved reputation for ill-discipline – one that has largely been driven by media since the terrible red card decision against Wolves.

The 18-year-old was controversially sent off in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Molineux, a decision that was overturned in just 45 minutes by an independent panel.

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Despite the ruling confirming the red card was a mistake, the incident brought Lewis-Skelly’s name into prominence, with a narrative building around his supposed recklessness, one that ignores both the absurdity of the initial decision and the fact that he had no previous disciplinary record of note.

That same narrative threatened to resurface after Arsenal’s 7-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven, where Lewis-Skelly picked up a very soft yellow card before making another challenge on Richard Ledezma that should have seen him receive a second, prompting Arteta to withdraw him early.

“It was quite clear that we had a liability there with the yellow card and the next action,” Arteta explained. “It wasn’t the moment to take any risk. A lesson to learn for him for sure. We will support and help him. The line is really thin in sport and he needs to understand that.”

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Lewis-Skelly has been one of Arsenal’s standout young players this season, impressing with his physicality, technique, and decision-making. However, the absurd red card at Wolves, followed by an avoidable dismissal against West Ham, has provided the media with an easy story.

Arteta, however, refuses to buy into the narrative. His focus remains on ensuring Lewis-Skelly develops into the player Arsenal know he can be, with defensive intelligence and positional awareness the next steps in his progression.

“You need to dominate the space you are defending,” Arteta said. “What is the level of exposure that you have? Is the opponent facing you or not facing you? What is the probability to win that ball and when you have to commit to certain duels?

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“Then you have to apply defensive principles (which) are very clear. If you don’t do that at this level, it’s a big problem.”

Despite some media attempts to paint him as reckless, Lewis-Skelly has already shown his quality. His stunning solo goal against Manchester City in January’s 5-1 win was a statement moment, proving why Arteta trusts him in big games.

And Arteta has no doubt the teenager will learn. “He is very intelligent and extremely demanding of himself,” Arteta said. “But straight away his reaction was good, he is a perfectionist and has a great environment around him as well, and he is here to learn as well.”

With Arsenal heading to Old Trafford on Sunday, Lewis-Skelly remains part of the squad, ready to show that he is far more than the one-dimensional caricature some would like to make him out to be.