Arsenal vs. Lille: Mikel Arteta sent Myles Lewis-Skelly message for Champions League clash

Arsenal tin spend to driblet Myles Lewis-Skelly to left-back for the "odd game" portion Piero Hincapie recovers from an ankle injury, Gunners fable Nigel Winterburn has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The 20-year-old Lewis-Skelly has enjoyed an unforeseen revival successful the Arsenal motor country this season, starting 5 Premier League matches and the Community Shield triumph implicit Manchester City successful the bosom of midfield.

Lewis-Skelly has present arguably travel afloat ellipse aft coming done the Hale End academy strategy arsenic a midfielder, earlier a breakout 2024-25 play astatine left-back and frustrating 2025-26 run arsenic a second-string player.

The England planetary has present usurped Martin Zubimendi successful the pecking order, but his relation could soon alteration owing to an injury to Hincapie, who wounded his ankle successful the warm-down to Saturday's 2-1 Premier League triumph implicit Leeds United.

Hincapie and Zubimendi some picked up ankle problems at the Emirates, though Arteta admitted successful his property league earlier Tuesday's Champions League clash with Lille that the former's looks much serious.

Arsenal vs. Lille: Myles Lewis-Skelly fixed greenish airy for left-back start

With Hincapie sidelined, Arteta has conscionable the 1 out-and-out left-back successful Riccardo Calafiori, who has started each Premier League lucifer for Arsenal this play and would beryllium rested against Lille successful an perfect scenario.

While Winterburn - who won 3 English top-flight titles astatine left-back for Arsenal - believes that Lewis-Skelly is simply a top-class midfielder archetypal and foremost, helium tin get down the youngster deputising for Calafiori acknowledgment to the Gunners' spot successful extent successful midfield.

"I’ve ever said Lewis-Skelly is simply a midfielder," Winterburn said. "I watched him travel done the younker strategy portion co-commentating connected immoderate of Arsenal’s younger games, and I thought helium was a truly beardown midfield player.

"Has helium amazed Arteta and different radical with however good he’s played? Probably. He’s a fantastic player. If you request to remainder someone, though, Arsenal person spot successful midfield.

"They could determination Lewis-Skelly to left-back for the unusual crippled without importantly weakening midfield. Arteta has intelligibly recovered it hard to permission him retired due to the fact that helium has played truthful well. It volition beryllium absorbing to spot whether helium occasionally drops backmost to left-back, depending connected Hincapie's injury."

Arsenal vs. Lille: Who other tin Mikel Arteta play astatine left-back?

Calafiori and Lewis-Skelly whitethorn beryllium the standout left-back options astatine Arteta's disposal, but the Spaniard has much than 1 wildcard enactment disposable to him should helium privation to spare some players.

The versatile Jurrien Timber has been deployed arsenic a left-back for the Premier League champions 14 times already - according to Transfermarkt - including successful 8 Premier League and 2 Champions League games successful 2024-25.

The beingness of Ben White, Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes means that Timber tin commencement connected the left-hand broadside with nary large concerns elsewhere successful the backline, but the Dutchman is nevertheless expected to regenerate White astatine right-back against Lille.

Prior to Lewis-Skelly's emergence oregon the arrivals of Timber and Calafiori, Bukayo Saka memorably played astatine left-back for Arsenal, and the 25-year-old remains an exigency enactment successful that relation if needed.

However, Saka has not featured successful defence for Arsenal since the 2020-21 season, and utilizing the England planetary astatine left-back would beryllium a worst-case script for the Gunners.

Saka is alternatively expected to support his spot astatine close helping against Lille, and up of the matchday 2 clash astatine the Emirates, Winterburn besides named Arsenal among five Champions League favourites.

Nigel Winterburn was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of Casino Kings.