England boss Thomas Tuchel has made a ruthless call ahead of tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Belgrade, leaving Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly out of his matchday squad.
The 18-year-old full-back started against Andorra at the weekend, but according to Sky Sports, he won’t even make the bench against Serbia. Lewis-Skelly trained with the team on Monday and travelled to Belgrade, but with UEFA rules allowing only 23 players in the squad, Tuchel has decided to cut him.
It’s a big setback for the Arsenal youngster, who was hoping to build momentum on the international stage. Despite showing flashes of talent, his performance against Andorra wasn’t enough to convince Tuchel that he deserved another shot.
Why Tuchel made the call to take out Myles Lewis-Skelly out of his matchday squad?
Lewis-Skelly looked nervy on Saturday and failed to stamp his authority on a game England should have controlled with ease. Tuchel now wants to hand Djed Spence a chance, with the Tottenham man in line to start and prove himself in a tough test against Serbia.
Tuchel’s decision also piles pressure on Tino Livramento, who hasn’t impressed much for England so far. It means competition for the left-back and right-back spots is intensifying, and Lewis-Skelly will need to bounce back fast if he wants a place on the plane to the World Cup.
For Arsenal, it’s still an invaluable experience for Lewis-Skelly to be part of the senior England setup at just 18. But tonight is a reminder of how quickly things can change in international football. Tuchel wants results now, and the Arsenal youngster has been the casualty of that demand.
This won’t be the last we hear of Lewis-Skelly in an England shirt – but for tonight, the headlines belong elsewhere.
