Arsenal

The 18-year-old was given the nod at left-back for Wednesday's visit of Arsenal's most bitter rivals - having leapt ahead of Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order - and received high praise for a dogged and mature performance.

Lewis-Skelly is now believed to be in line for a contract extension after becoming a fully-fledged member of the Gunners' first team, having already played 15 times for Mikel Arteta's team this season after successfully transitioning from a defensive midfielder to a left-back.

Another man all too familiar with emerging from the Arsenal academy is Jermaine Pennant, once the Gunners' youngest-ever first-team player, who has waxed lyrical about Lewis-Skelly for "not once" appearing out of place against more seasoned professionals.

"From the minute he got his debut, the Champions League, playing in the biggest competition in club football to get your debut. For Arteta to, trust him, his ability in playing in that and then look not once out of place, just says a lot about the player," Pennant told Sports Mole.

"He's already established himself that he can handle these big moments. And he's a great talent. And I think with more game time that he's getting, he's getting more confident playing in the Premier League.

"Because the Premier League is the hardest league in the world without a shadow of a doubt. And the more experience you get, the better it is for you personally to handle."

Who could be Arsenal's next Hale End sensation?

Lewis-Skelly is one of two Arsenal academy graduates now making it big at the Emirates Stadium this season - the other being Ethan Nwaneri - and more will no doubt emerge from the famed youth system at London Colney.

All of Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have become established Premier League professionals over the past few years, and Arsenal coaches now have extremely high hopes for 15-year-old phenom Max Dowman.

The 2009-born midfielder recently became the youngest player to ever score in the UEFA Youth League, breaking the record set by Youssoufa Moukoko, and he is already training with Arteta's first team.

In addition, Dowman is already a regular for the Under-18s, made his debut for the Under-21s earlier this season and has three goals to show from eight appearances for England at Under-17 level.

The 15-year-old has already been compared to former Ballon d'Or winner Kaka as he excels at Under-18 level, where 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter is regularly plying his trade after turning out for the first team in September's EFL Cup win over Bolton Wanderers.

Porter became Arsenal's youngest-ever starter in that 5-1 thrashing, breaking the previous record set by Cesc Fabregas, and he has also been on the bench twice in the Champions League.

Big things are expected of teenage centre-back Ayden Heaven too, but the 18-year-old could soon head elsewhere in search of a senior breakthrough, as he is confirmed to be in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Jermaine Pennant was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of William Hill.

Written by

Ben Knapton