Myles Lewis-Skelly was Arsenal's standout in the 1-1 draw with Como. He scored the opener, celebrated with a heart gesture and by beating the badge, and then backed the eye test with an 8/10 display that underlined how sharp he looked in possession and without it.

Lewis-Skelly's response

The goal came after he capitalised on a poor pass from Jean Butez, and he still had the presence to roll the finish low into the net. Matt Verri's read for the Evening Standard was direct enough: "Emphatic response to recent speculation. As confident as he has looked as a No6. Kept Arsenal ticking in possession and full of energy pressing up the pitch. Got his reward when winning the ball high up the pitch and finishing well."

That celebration was hard to miss. The heart gesture and badge-beating suggested a player enjoying the moment and, at minimum, not looking rattled by the noise around him. It does not prove anything about where he will be in the long term, but it did look pointed.

Lewis-Skelly has now started every pre-season match, so this was not a one-off cameo in a low-stakes setting. He has become one of the clearest reasons Arsenal have looked more settled when he is involved.

Arsenal's wider pre-season picture

The broader picture was less polished. Arsenal had gone winless in their previous two friendly outings and shipped six goals to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, so the draw with Como offered some correction without completely flattening the concerns.

Mikel Arteta left out Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi, while Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke made their first pre-season minutes. Bruno Guimarães also made his Arsenal bow at half-time after the reported £75m move from Newcastle, which added another notable detail to a match that was already carrying plenty of context.

Arsenal did win the shootout 4-3, with David Raya making two saves, but the cleaner takeaway is still Lewis-Skelly. The young midfielder looked composed, aggressive and productive in the same game, and the 8/10 rating fit what people saw on the pitch.

With the Community Shield coming next, Arsenal still have some sharpness to find. Lewis-Skelly, though, already looks ready to keep forcing his way into the conversation.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →