Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has likened teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly to a Premier League cult hero following their 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the north London derby.
Tottenham took an early lead through Son Heung-min but failed to dominate after scoring. Arsenal responded strongly, going into halftime 2-1 up thanks to a Dominic Solanke own goal and a stunning 20-yard strike from Leandro Trossard past Antonin Kinsky. Despite creating several opportunities in the second half, Arsenal couldn’t extend their lead but held on for the win, restricting Spurs to limited chances.
Rice delivered an outstanding midfield performance, earning praise from fans before being substituted late in the game. At the same time, 18-year-old left-back Lewis-Skelly, who impressed with his composed play and ability to invert into midfield, was also taken off. The Arsenal academy graduate even fired up the crowd as he exited the pitch after a minor confrontation with Spurs players.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Rice commended Lewis-Skelly’s maturity and drew comparisons to former Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele. Rice said:
“He’s got that Mousa Dembele trait, using his body to escape tight situations. At 18, to show such personality and character is unbelievable.”
Dembele, who initially struggled after joining Spurs in 2013, gained recognition as one of the league’s best at ball retention and defensive play. His Belgium teammate, Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, once described Dembele as “the best player in the world” in a 5-a-side format, highlighting his strength on the ball and balanced offensive and defensive abilities.
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