Myles Lewis-Skelly names shock Tottenham player as toughest Premier League opponent

Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly has given a surprise answer when asked who is the toughest opponent he has faced in the Premier League.

Still just 19 years old, Lewis-Skelly has made 81 first team appearances for the Gunners across all competitions and won six England caps.

He broke into the team in the 2024/25 season and starred at left-back, but has been used more recently in midfield.

The teenager has a Premier League winner’s medal to his name and started in the Champions League final last season. He has seen an awful lot already in his short career, ahead of turning 20 before the end of this month.

Lewis-Skelly certainly has plenty of options when it comes to his toughest Premier League opponent, be it a right-winger or central midfielder.

It is the latter that has stood out to him, naming a Tottenham player as his most testing opponent, but when he played for his previous club.

‘Matheus Fernandes, when he was at West Ham,’ Lewis-Skelly told Men In Blazers of his toughest Premier League foe.

Fernandes has had an interesting career so far, arriving in England in 2024 when Southampton signed him from Sporting in his home country of Portugal.

He was relegated with the Saints after one season and moved to West Ham, where he also suffered relegation after just one year.

Spurs then paid £85 million for his services over the summer, but he has made a slow start to life in north London.

The midfielder started the meeting with Aston Villa on Saturday but was replaced at half-time, with manager Roberto De Zerbi saying he did not like what he saw from the Portugal international.

‘I have a big confidence in Mateus, but I didn’t like the performance of Mateus today. Otherwise I couldn’t change,’ said De Zerbi on replacing Fernandes with Mohammed Kudus during the 3-2 defeat.

‘He knows. But it’s normal. It’s not an attack on Mateus, I love Mateus, it’s not a problem. But I think for Mateus, we need more from Mateus. Because he can, even in that position.’

Lewis-Skelly also commented on another midfielder, his new teammate Bruno Guimaraes, who is providing him more competition at Arsenal.

‘Bruno brings energy, experience, intensity,’ said the England international of the Brazil star. ‘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, he’s someone who plays in a similar position to you, so you can always learn from him. Being a sponge to Bruno is going to be really impactful.’

Confirming his preference in position, the teenager added: ‘I’m a midfielder. But at the end of the day it’s all down to the team needs. No player, no individual is bigger than the team goal. Whatever has to help the team, I’ll do it.’

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