Arsenal’s director, Michael Arteta, said Myles Lewis-Skelly was replaced after 35 minutes against PSV on Tuesday because the “responsibility” of the 18-year-old received a red card was “quite clean”.
Starting from the left back to Eindhoven, Lewis-Skelly was lucky to avoid a second yellow card from referee Jesus Gil Manzano when he fell under Richard Ledezma deep in half of Arsenal.
“I didn’t want to take risks and manage the game for so long, especially with how important the competition is,” Arteta said for The 7-1 round 16 win first legin which Lewis-Skelly was replaced by Riccardo Calafiori.
“It was quite clear that we had a responsibility there with the yellow card and the next (foul). It’s a lesson to find out about him, surely we will support him and help him.
“The line is really thin in sports and he has to understand it. He’s very smart and extremely demanding for himself. He’s perfectionist and he’s here to learn.”
Arsenal fans love Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri ❤️
(📸 through @Arsenal; pic.twitter.com/brkyovgqlr
– Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) 2 February 2025
Myles Lewis-Skelly Suspension
Arteta is targeting a first Premier League Aim and victory in three games when his players visit Manchester United on Sunday (4.30pm GMT).
Lewis-Skelly is available again after serving a suspension of a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on February 26, sent after a revision of the assistant video in the 73rd minute of the 1-0 home defeat to West Ham four days earlier.
The product of the Lewis-Skelly Academy was also rejected in the 43rd minute of Arsenal’s 1-0 win in Wolves on January 25, with his punishment being overthrown later after appeal.
A special night ♥ ♠
Watch the main points of victory 7-1 via PSV in the Champions League on Tuesday 👇 pic.twitter.com/2jszw92kjf
– Arsenal (@arsenal) 7 March 2025
Ayden Heaven to face Arsenal?
A graduate who could be in the Opposition team in Old Trafford is Ayden Heaven, who moved between clubs for a “substantive” compensation fee earlier this year, following Chido Obi-Martin’s footsteps last summer.
“When a player decides that the best path for him is to leave, there is nothing you can do,” Arteta accepted.
“It’s very unfortunate because we want to keep our players from the Academy and for them to be very successful with the first team … We couldn’t do that.
“I guarantee you. If there is a player who can help and influence the first team. He will be with us.”
🗣️ “I guarantee you, if there is a player in the academy that can help us, he will be with us.”
Mikel Arteta says it was “unfortunate” to lose Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven, but insists there is a clear path to academy players in the first team of Arsenal 🛣️🔴 pic.twitter.com/xz4Rmbvhcj
– Sky Sports News (@skysportsnews) 7 March 2025
Man United vs Arsenal
The second arsenal is 21 points over the 14th placed united in tableBut their chances of catching Liverpool leaders look thin with 11 Gunners season championships.
Reds will be 16 points if they win at home on the Southampton cliff Saturday (3pm GMT), though they will have played two games more than this point.
United has drew 1-1 to the Club La Liga Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League round 16 on Thursday.
