"It was like he was built in a lab!" - Declan Rice heaps praise on Arsenal teammate after win over Ipswich Town

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice showered praise on his teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly following their 1-0 win over Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Friday, December 27. The match marked Lewis-Skelly's first game for the Gunners where he played a full 90 minutes.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is a product of Arsenal's academy, Hale End, and signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2023. The Englishman made his debut for the Gunners in September 2024 in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League. Although he's a natural pivot, Lewis-Skelly has been playing as a left-back for the north London side owing to their injury woes.

Lewis-Skelly has made 14 appearances for Arsenal's senior team this season with 663 minutes of game time. The 18-year-old's performance against Ipswich Town on Friday has been one of his best performances for the Gunners so far.

Speaking via the north London side's official website, Gunners midfielder Declan Rice waxed lyrical on Myles Lewis-Skelly after his performance against Ipswich Town. He said (via GOAL):

"He can go to the top, this kid is just special, very special. For an 18-year-old to be that good, that comfortable, that strong – it was like he was built in a lab! I said that to him the other day, it’s just ridiculous how good he is, but he has a long way to go. He’s so level-headed. (...) He just needs to stay focused and always want more and he can do that."

In 90 minutes of gameplay, Myles Lewis-Skelly made two clearances, three tackles, and completed 58 out of 59 passes (98% passing accuracy), including two key ones. The teenager won eight out of nine ground duels and made no fouls in the game.

(The aforementioned data has been taken from SofaScore and is subject to change as per the website's prerogative.)

---

"He's a special character" - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praises Myles Lewis-Skelly following win over Ipswich Town

Miles Lewis-Skelly - Source: Getty

According to quotes published via journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta showered praise on Myles Lewis-Skelly following their 1-0 win over Ipswich Town in the league. He said:

"He's a special character, ahead of his age, and so mature. His qualities suit our way of playing. Theory is one thing, but competing at this level is another. Credit to him."

Following Lewis-Skelly's performance against Ipswich Town and his consistently good form, the Englishman can soon become Mikel Arteta's first choice in the left-back position.

Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League table with 36 points off 18 games. They are six points behind table leaders Liverpool with 42 points off 17 games. They are also third in the UEFA Champions League table (13 points from six games).