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Lewis-Skelly was only stopped by a James Tarkowski foul.

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s magical dribble bought back memories of Thierry Henry

Michael Lee •

As Iliman Ndiaye stroked home his penalty to draw Everton level against Arsenal, astronauts on the International Space Station were able to see the cogs in Myles Lewis-Skelly’s head begin to whir.

It was Lewis-Skelly’s clumsy challenge, allowing his legs to become entangled with Jack Harrison’s, that had gifted Everton a route back into the game previously being played at half-pace.

Ignore for a second, at the risk of being hounded into hiding by the more rabid sections of Arsenal’s online fanbase, that the majority of contact happened outside the area.

And it was another tempestuous lapse of judgement in an otherwise stellar breakthrough season for the youngster.

Lewis-Skelly has won deserved plaudits for his defensive competence and attacking prowess this season.

But the 18-year-old has also had moments where he appears as raw as the contents of a Japanese sushi restaurant. Largely because he’s 18.

Simultaneously, that rawness has also produced moments of eye-watering brilliance. Moments where the straitjacket of modern football is discarded for ingenious improvisation and cunning cojones.

Aware he needed to redeem himself for his penalty brainfart, Lewis-Skelly paused for a nanosecond as the ball arrived at his feet before motoring past Harrison.

The Everton forward’s resistance, hanging on to his opponent in a futile attempt at resistance, was as effective as a teatowel trying to withstand a hurricane.

Lewis-Skelly strode on, sending Abdoulaye Doucoure for a Gladys Street hot dog, before brushing aside Harrison for a second time.

Now there was empty space to gallop into, reminiscent of a steed greeting an open field after months of confinement in the stables. The Everton defence were now visibly shaking.

A glutton for punishment, Harrison returned for a third bite of the Lewis-Skelly cherry but was swatted away without a second’s thought.

Only the much-discussed boot of James Tarkowski connecting with the Arsenal defender’s leg brought the moment of eye-moistening genius to a premature end. Free-kick.

And, because the gods are entirely uninterested in the concept of justice these days, the set-piece did not result in an Arsenal goal.

At the start of October, the 18-year-old was turning out for Arsenal under-21s in the EFL Trophy.

Fast forward six months and Lewis-Skelly is now a first-team regular, fresh from becoming the youngest England player to score on his debut.

“I feel like I’ve been in a kind of dream for the past few weeks. I was blessed to be given the opportunity [for England],” Lewis-Skelly in a recent interview with Sky Sports.

“For it to happen the way it did, it was crazy. Hence my reaction when I scored. I couldn’t believe it. I kept looking at the linesman to see if he’d put the flag up!”.

The world is currently the oyster for the young man from Camberwell, with only the uncultured boot of opposition defenders able to stop Lewis-Skelly in full flow.

 

By Michael Lee

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