'There's very few that are much better' - Legendary ex-England defender labels Myles Lewis-Skelly as best left-back in the Premier League

What makes Lewis-Skelly’s story so astonishing is that he isn’t even a natural left-back. At school, he marshalled the backline as a centre-half. At Arsenal’s Hale End academy, he carved out a reputation as a ball-carrying midfielder with pace, grit, and an eye for driving runs. Yet Mikel Arteta had other plans.

Late in the 2023/24 season, Arsenal coaches trialled Lewis-Skelly as an inverted left-back for the U18s and U21s, laying the groundwork for a senior breakthrough. It was a gamble that has since paid off in spectacular fashion. Last season, Lewis-Skelly made 39 appearances for the Gunners, showing maturity well beyond his years. His first senior goal came against Manchester City – a strike made even more memorable when he cheekily mimicked Erling Haaland’s iconic celebration.

In an interview with BestBettingSites.co.uk, Pearce said: "Off the top of my head, there's very few that are much better than Myles Lewis-Skelly, if I'm being quite honest with you.  He's got room for improvement. Year on year you expect him to get a lot better. Arsenal have got a great reputation when it comes to developing left backs. I had to play understudy to Kenny Sansom. And then after that, Ashley Cole obviously developed as an outstanding left back for them. Myles has been playing for one of the best sides in the Premier League, so I think he's as good as most."

With Luke Shaw battling constant injuries, Pearce sees Lewis-Skelly as the man to step up.

"He shows a strong character from what I can see, as a player on the pitch," he added. "I think he's got good game understanding, and he can deal with one-on-one situations. He gets forward extremely well on the overlap and on the underlap.  If Luke Shaw's not fit and available, certainly, he’s the first in line to play there for England. If you’re first choice for England, then you’re some player."

Arsenal face Leeds on Saturday.