Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly Names Unexpected Tottenham Midfielder as Toughest Premier League Opponent
Myles Lewis-Skelly, the young Arsenal talent, recently named Mateus Fernandes, a Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, as his hardest opponent in the Premier League. This came as a surprise since Lewis-Skelly has faced many top-tier players but singled out Fernandes due to their encounters while Fernandes was at West Ham.
An Impressive Young Career
Almost 20 years old, Lewis-Skelly has already collected a Premier League winner’s medal and started in a Champions League final. With 81 senior appearances and six caps for England, he has confronted some of the best players in both defensive and midfield roles. Despite this, he chose Fernandes over more famous opponents when asked about his toughest challenger.
Comments on Fernandes and Bruno Guimaraes
On the Men In Blazers podcast, Lewis-Skelly stated, "Mateus Fernandes, when he was at West Ham," without hesitation. He also praised Arsenal's recent signing Bruno Guimaraes, calling him a valuable addition: Bruno brings energy, experience, intensity. When I heard he was joining, I was super happy because it’s someone to learn from and pick the brain of. He’s another winner who plays a similar position, so you can always learn from him. Being a sponge to Bruno is going to be really impactful.
Fernandes' Difficult Start at Spurs
Since moving from Sporting CP to English football in 2024, Fernandes has had a rocky path, enduring relegations with Southampton and West Ham before Tottenham paid £85 million for him last summer. His performances under manager Roberto De Zerbi have been mixed. In a recent 3-2 loss to Aston Villa, Fernandes was substituted at halftime for Mohammed Kudus after a lackluster showing. De Zerbi defended the decision, saying, I have a big confidence in Mateus, but I didn’t like the performance of Mateus today. Otherwise I couldn’t change. He knows. It’s not an attack on Mateus, I love Mateus, it’s not a problem. But we need more from Mateus because he can do better even in that position.
Midfield Competition at Arsenal
With Guimaraes now at Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly faces tough competition for playing time. Although he impressed as a left-back during his breakthrough season, he sees himself mainly as a central midfielder and is eager to learn from experienced teammates to secure a permanent role there. His flexibility remains valuable to manager Mikel Arteta’s squad. Lewis-Skelly emphasized his team-first mindset: I’m a midfielder. But at the end of the day, it’s all down to the team needs. No player or individual is bigger than the team goal. Whatever helps the team, I’ll do it.
