the Arsenal’ left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly needs to understand “the line is really thin” if he is to avoid disciplinary issues during his career, according Mikel Arteta.
The 18-year-old left back has been booked twice and sent off twice since January this year.
He was also substituted in the first half of Tuesday’s 7-1 Champions League win at PSV Eindhoven after collecting a yellow card, and then going in hard and late on home defender Richard Ledezma shortly afterwards.
“A lesson to learn for him for sure. We will support and help him. The line is really thin in sport and he needs to understand that,” said Arteta.
“It wasn’t the moment to take any risk. He’s very intelligent, he’s extremely demanding of himself. He’s a perfectionist. The boy has a great environment around him – he’s here to learn as well.”
Lewis-Skelly has had a remarkable start to his Arsenal career. He made his official debut in the September 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
When Arsenal met Wolves at Molineux in January, he scored a spectacular solo goal in the 5-1 thumping of City in the rematch. However, the decision was eventually overturned after his teammates fought to a 1-0 victory.
In February, when Arsenal’s title aspirations were dashed by a 1-0 home loss to West Ham, he was sent off once more.
Arsenal visits Manchester this Weekend
Lewis-Skelly should consider the odds more carefully before going in for challenges in the future, according to Arteta, who will lead his team to Old Trafford to play Manchester United on Sunday (16:30 GMT).
“You need to dominate the space you are defending,” added Arteta.
“What is the level of exposure that you have? Is the opponent facing you or not facing you? What is the probability to win that ball and when you have to commit to certain duels?
“Then you have to apply defensive principles [which] are very clear. If you don’t do that at this level it’s a big problem.”
