MIKEL ARTETA has dreams of winning the Premier League with Arsenal’s very own Class of ’92.
Under the mentorship of Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United began to dominate English football from 1992 with academy stars like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville.
By the end of the 2002/03 campaign, that group of Fergie Fledglings had won eight Prem titles, three FA Cups and one Champions League crown.
Back in August, with 23-year-old Bukayo Saka his only Hale End starting XI representative, Arteta said: “I want to have a team that's half academy, half foreign and win the Premier League and Champions League consistently.”
At the time, it sounded like a far-fetched press conference soundbite.
Six months on, and Arteta’s Class of ’24 are making headlines in 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly.
After joining the seniors on a pre-season tour of the States last summer, Lewis-Skelly has quickly become a cult hero from left-back, leapfrogging experienced pros like Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Midfielder Nwaneri has been around Arteta’s squad for a few years now, making his name in September 2022 as the youngest-ever Prem debutant at 15 years and 181 days before another cameo off the bench at West Ham in February 2024.
But this season, the pair have seized their moment together, taking on the challenges of the top flight side by side. Jack Wilshere – who managed both in Arsenal’s U18s – previously suggested their immense talent was “uncoachable” at times.
They have already made a combined 41 first-team appearances this term. Nwaneri has seven goals in 22 games. Lewis-Skelly has one goal in 19 games.
Arteta said: “They are very lucky to have each other. There is a bond there. For them, it is special.
“When you see those two walking next to each other, talking to each other, there is a chemistry there.”
Ahead of starting together for the first time in Arsenal’s 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Bolton in September, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly snuck out onto the Emirates pitch before kick-off to soak it all up.
In last week’s 2-1 win at Girona, on his first Champions League start, Nwaneri scored a curling beauty to earn Man of the Match.
At full-time, as he had photos with his award by the side of the pitch, who was stood less than six feet away as his hype man? Of course, Lewis-Skelly.
In the 1-0 victory at Wolves last month, Lewis-Skelly was controversially sent off just before half time – on the day he and Nwaneri became the first two English players aged 18 or under to start a Prem match for Arsenal for 26 years.
Lewis-Skelly was emotional and distraught. Nwaneri had been subbed at half-time, so decided to spend the second half in the Molineux dressing room with Lewis-Skelly, watching the rest of the match on a TV screen, celebrating Riccardo Calafiori’s late winner together.
They truly are inseparable, joining the Arsenal academy in 2015 as eight-year-olds following a stint at Chelsea. Nwaneri recently revealed: “We have been best friends since we were six.
"Now we’re in the Arsenal team together. It’s crazy, isn’t it?” Yes, it is.
They live close to each other in London, and would often train together. Around the London Colney training base, they are constantly walking as a duo. On flights to games, they are seat buddies.
With England’s U17s, they studied together for their GCSEs at the 2023 European Championships in Hungarian hotel rooms.
The only place they are separated, weirdly, is in the Emirates first team dressing room.
Due to safeguarding restrictions, as Nwaneri is under 18, he must get changed away from the group before and after games.
That will change next month when Nwaneri celebrates his birthday, not that he will have a wild party, such is his reserved and shy personality. He is not yet a natural on camera in interviews.
They may be close pals, but Lewis-Skelly’s personality is the complete opposite – emotive and expressive, often bombarding Arteta with questions during training sessions.
Having been booked as a sub at the Etihad back in September before making his Prem debut in the 2-2 draw against Manchester City, he squared up to Erling Haaland at full-time.
And last weekend, scoring his first senior goal against City, he cheekily mimicked Haaland’s meditation celebration.
This is nothing new. Subbed off in the 2-1 victory over Tottenham at the Emirates last month, Lewis-Skelly opted to rev up the crowd and point to the badge when walking around the side of the pitch.
And in the aftermath of that Spurs win, Lewis-Skelly was seen laughing and joking with club legend Ian Wright about his grandma in front of the cameras.
In contrast, in Girona, as he walked in front of the away end who were singing his name, Nwaneri kept himself to himself, quickly applauding before walking towards the bench.
He too scored against City in the 5-1 thumping, celebrating by simply walking away and shrugging his shoulders.
They may be chalk and cheese, but Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri are taking England and Europe by storm, hand in hand. Perhaps Arteta will get his wish after all.
