Mikel Arteta opens up on Myles Lewis-Skelly selection dilemma as Arsenal reality sinks in

Mikel Arteta admits he's had to undergo a process of "understanding Myles Lewis-Skelly better" with the Arsenal star in and out of the starting picture this season. The teenage sensation enjoyed a breakout campaign last time out, playing regularly in the latter part of the season, but this year he's had to deal with greatly reduced minutes. Lewis-Skelly has only started three times in the Premier League . One of those came in the recent win over Fulham , which saw the Gunners open up a gap at the top of the table, and he was then thrown in for the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final. He impressed in the win over Atletico Madrid , but its not all been plain sailing. Arteta admits that Lewis-Skelly was always going to face a reality check at some point whilst the player himself was going to need to grasp what was required of him when he wasn't selected. He said: "I think it's been a process of, probably understanding him better, him understanding as well the standards that are required when you play or don't play that much at this level, to understand the reasons why you play or don't play as well, and then he's been exceptional. "His attitude, the way he's been trained, the way he's been supporting the boys when he hasn't played, and he's given us every sign to think that when we were going to give him the chance he was going to respond in the manner that he's done it. "But after he's done it, and it's not easy, especially when you haven't played that much, to look that confident, that energetic, that playing with that determination, it's something that is surprising." Lewis-Skelly had landed an England call-up and was tipped to go to the World Cup this summer, but he's since fallen out of contention, owing in part to his lack of minutes. Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel made it known publicly that the Arsenal player was going to miss out on the tournament if he didn't play more regularly. The 19-year-old has spent much of the season behind Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order. His versatility means he can step into midfield, but with plenty of competition in that area too the academy graduate could be forced into a decision. Rivals Manchester United have been linked with a move for Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal's squad depth has been praised, but fellow academy star Ethan Nwaneri had to head out on loan in January and may have to head elsewhere if he wants regular minutes. Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.