Lewis-Skelly's Fulham masterclass may not save him from Atletico bench, warns Bent

Darren Bent reckons Myles Lewis-Skelly's sublime showing against Fulham could still see him dropped for Tuesday's crucial Champions League showdown with Atletico Madrid, despite delivering what the former striker calls a genuinely top-drawer midfield display.

The 19-year-old has endured a frustrating campaign fighting for minutes, with Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori monopolising the left-back berth and leaving the teenage prospect largely sidelined. That changed when Mikel Arteta opted to rotate his weary squad ahead of the Atletico fixture, handing Lewis-Skelly his maiden start in his natural central midfield role against the Cottagers.

The kid made the most of his opportunity, earning high praise from his boss. "He's been showing in training every day the opportunities that he had to play. He's done it and today he really stepped up and I thought he had an incredible performance," Arteta reflected afterwards.

Yet Bent suspects that won't guarantee Lewis-Skelly keeps his place when Diego Simeone's outfit comes calling. The former Spurs frontman told Premier League Live that Martín Zubimendi, who enjoyed a rest on Saturday, will likely reclaim his midfield berth given his seniority—though he acknowledged the manager now knows what Lewis-Skelly can deliver if required.

"Zubimendi will probably come back in because he's the more senior player," Bent explained. "But I think the manager will be looking at his performance today thinking do you know what if a game's going on against Atletico and it's not quite working, he'll have no doubts whatsoever. He knows he's good enough to play in there, go and play."

Bent was emphatic that Lewis-Skelly's contribution transcended a merely competent outing. "That's not just a normal performance where you go he did OK, he did alright. He is capable of playing there, that was a top-level performance," he stressed, while noting that Zubimendi has been "outstanding this season, maybe he's faltered a bit of late."

With fixtures piling up during the run-in, Bent reckons Arteta will feel sufficiently reassured to deploy the teenager again soon, whether that's against Atletico or the subsequent West Ham encounter. The key, he suggested, lies in surrounding Lewis-Skelly with the right personnel and tactical setup.

"I genuinely think Mikel Arteta will be looking at that thinking if he doesn't play against Atletico, he could definitely play against West Ham," Bent continued. "I think it's important to have the right players and environment around him. Putting him alongside the likes of Declan and Eberechi Eze is key."

Bent highlighted how having established figures like Declan Rice—much like Mark Noble once did at West Ham—can settle a young player into the rhythm of senior football. Against Fulham, Lewis-Skelly excelled at the fundamental tasks: breaking up play, driving the ball forward rather than retreating into safety, and unlocking Arsenal's attacking potential.

"All the little bits he had to do, breaking up play, passing the ball forwards. That was the key, too often in the last few weeks we've seen Arsenal players pass the buck and go backwards," Bent observed. "The moment Lewis-Skelly got it he was on the half-turn then boom, where's Saka, where's Eze, where's Trossard."

That progressive approach, Bent suggested, is precisely what Arsenal need to bypass opposition pressing and establish control in the areas where they can inflict damage.