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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has been confused by Mikel Arteta\u2019s treatment of Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly this season.<\/p>\n
The Gunners have disappointed in a number of their performances over the last couple of months but they produced one of the best displays for a while over the weekend in a 3-0 win over Fulham.<\/p>\n
Arsenal<\/strong> are now back in control of the Premier League title race after Manchester City were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton<\/strong> on Monday evening.<\/p>\n Martin Zubimendi has been criticised for his performances in recent weeks with the Spaniard looking fatigued after a long first season in the Premier League.<\/p>\n Lewis-Skelly made his first-ever star in his preferred central midfield position against Fulham as Zubimendi was rested by Arteta.<\/p>\n Former Real Sociedad midfielder Zubimendi is expected to come back into the Arsenal side for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.<\/p>\n READ: Arsenal and Manchester City\u2019s \u2018alive\u2019 title race is still only about one thing: \u2018BOTTLE\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n And Ferdinand insists he\u2019s been \u201cbaffled\u201d by Lewis-Skelly\u2019s omission for much of this season despite having a great breakthrough 2024\/25 campaign.<\/p>\n When asked about Lewis-Skelly\u2019s performance for Arsenal at the weekend, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: \u201cI just thought how is he not getting more game-time?<\/p>\n \u201cI just think the energy he brings to the Arsenal team, the aggression, he got out to players. I\u2019ve been baffled that he hasn\u2019t played more football for Arsenal.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think about what he did last season, he was arguably the best young player in the Premier League. What\u2019s he done wrong not to play?<\/p>\n \u201cListen, if Arsenal win the league then obviously Mikel Arteta is right but even talking just selfishly you want young English players playing and he showed he can play last season.<\/p>\n \u201cHe can play in multiple positions as well, he can play left back or in midfield where he played growing up.<\/p>\n MAILBOX: Man City \u2018bottlers\u2019 as Arsenal fans promise to be \u2018insufferable\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMartin Zubimendi has looked a bit tired and leggy at times and Lewis-Skelly just injected that right amount of spark and energy that Arsenal needed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to imagine him not playing most of the games until the end of the season now.\u201d<\/p>\n Lewis-Skelly has only made three Premier League starts this season but the 19-year-old was still grateful that Arteta showed faith in him.<\/p>\n Arsenal starlet Lewis-Skelly told Sky Sports<\/em>: \u201cThat\u2019s the boss, I\u2019m grateful for him. That shows our connection is strong.<\/p>\n \u201cInside I was buzzing, but I was just glad the manager put his trust in me (to play in midfield).\u201d<\/p>\n Arteta admits he\u2019s been tough on Lewis-Skelly this season but the Arsenal head coach has been pleased with the youngster\u2019s response.<\/p>\n The Arsenal boss said: \u201cHe had a spectacular season last year when he jumped into the first team, but he had some difficult moments after that,\u201d explained Arteta.<\/p>\n \u201cHe stayed very humble, very focused, very aligned with what we wanted to do, and I knew he was ready.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been showing in training every day the opportunities that he had to play. He\u2019s done it, and today he really stepped up, and I thought he had an incredible performance.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked why it has taken so long to give Lewis-Skelly a game in midfield, Arteta replied:\u00a0\u201cBecause probably I don\u2019t have a clue, and maybe I should have done it earlier, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I have to do things when I believe that the player is ready, the team is ready, and the opponent is the right one to play with him in that position.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve done it today, it\u2019s the first time. It was a big risk because I knew what was going to happen; if he wasn\u2019t this great, we would have lost the game.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you play a kid at this age, in this scenario, in a position that he hasn\u2019t played all season? I knew that, but I had the feeling that it was the right game for him.\u201d<\/p>\n READ NEXT: Simeone hotel joke backfires as Atletico complain to UEFA prior to UCL semi v Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n