Keane Quips About Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly During England’s Match Against Latvia
Former Manchester United icon Roy Keane directed a playful remark towards Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal during England’s international fixture against Latvia on Monday evening, eliciting laughter from Ian Wright.
The national side secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Wembley Stadium. Reece James initiated the scoring with a spectacular free-kick into the top corner, marking his first international goal. Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze then solidified the victory with close-range finishes in the second half.
James’ Free-Kick Stole the Spotlight
Reece James’ exceptional free-kick is likely to be the most memorable moment from the game. Latvia’s goalkeeper, Krisjanis Zviedris, had no prospect of stopping the Chelsea defender’s powerful strike. The free-kick, awarded in the 38th minute, saw James confidently request the set-piece opportunity from both Kane and Marcus Rashford. Despite both having previously taken free-kicks in similar areas, they surprisingly conceded to James’ request.
Controversy Surrounds Free-Kick Decision
However, the choice of free-kick taker wasn’t the only talking point. Debate arose regarding the legitimacy of the free-kick award itself. Lewis-Skelly appeared to lose control of the ball before slightly moving backwards into Latvia’s Vladislavs Gutkovskis and falling to the ground.
Referee Alejandro Hernandez deemed the contact sufficient to warrant a foul. Conversely, Keane remained unconvinced, suggesting the Arsenal player might have been fortunate to receive the decision.
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Keane’s Commentary and Wright’s Reaction
Speaking on ITV, Keane commented, “It was debatable. I believe they were astute in winning the free-kick. Looking at the replay, Latvia were somewhat unlucky. However, that’s not to diminish the quality of the free-kick itself. Lewis-Skelly, demonstrating skills perhaps honed at Arsenal.”
This observation triggered laughter from former Arsenal player Wright, who responded, “You can see his intention was to move the ball forward, but it unfortunately went behind him.” Keane then added, “He was astute, wasn’t he? Very clever.”
Lewis-Skelly’s Promising Performance
England’s manager will undoubtedly be satisfied with Lewis-Skelly’s contributions throughout the two international matches. The young player displayed a willingness to move infield to create overloads and support Marcus Rashford with overlapping runs.
With concerns over Luke Shaw’s fitness and Ben Chilwell’s inconsistent form during his Crystal Palace loan spell, the 18-year-old will aim to secure the left-back position for England moving forward. However, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are also contenders for the same role.