Ruud van Nistelrooy has identified Myles Lewis-Skelly’s crucial block as the ‘turning point’ in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
The Gunners appeared to be heading for a draw against Van Nistelrooy’s side until Mikel Merino struck twice late in the game to secure all three points.
Leicester had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 73rd minute when the score was still 0-0, but Lewis-Skelly’s stunning intervention prevented what seemed like a certain goal.
Jordan Ayew delivered a low cross across the six-yard box, which Bobby De Cordova-Reid looked poised to tap into an empty net after it evaded a stranded David Raya.
However, Arsenal’s left-back Lewis-Skelly arrived just in time to deflect the ball out for a corner, narrowly avoiding an own goal.
Speaking after the match, Leicester’s head coach Van Nistelrooy acknowledged that the game ‘turned’ following that pivotal moment.
‘Thin margins,’ Van Nistelrooy told the BBC after his team’s defeat at the King Power Stadium.
‘The chance of Bobby De Cordova-Reid, just touched by Myles Lewis-Skelly with the Jordan Ayew cross… you can get up in the game with a goal.
‘You can lift the spirit, gain momentum from the crowd [if you score]. I think that was the turning point.
‘They [then] scored in the 81st minute. We were in the game for a result, maybe a win, but that makes it hard.’
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, praised Lewis-Skelly for his ‘magic touch’ that denied De Cordova-Reid the opening goal.
‘The second half was very different [to the first],’ Arteta said in his post-match press conference.
‘We had much more urgency, better intentions, better executions. And then you can sense that the game was going in the direction that it had to go.
‘Saying that, it’s a moment when we give the ball away in the middle of the park.
‘The space is open in the counter and Myles has to make a magic touch to deny the goal.’
Lewis-Skelly, along with fellow Hale End academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, also earned praise from teammate Jurrien Timber after the match.
‘You almost forget they are so young,’ Arsenal defender Timber told the BBC.
‘They are amazing for that age. It’s from a different level and the sky is the limit for them.’
Arsenal fans left blown away by Myles Lewis-Skelly block:
Arsenal fans took to social media to applaud Lewis-Skelly for his decisive touch that prevented De Cordova-Reid from scoring.
‘A star is born,’ Gunners supporter @Arsenalfds posted on X. ‘Thank for that goal line save today, @lewisskelly49. That could’ve cost us some points.’
‘That Lewis Skelly touch to give Leicester a corner kick really changed everything,’ @ChuiKev added.
‘Incredible read from Lewis-Skelly to keep the score level,’ @DeepikaaMurugan said. ‘Arsenal staying solid.’
