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The Premier League unveiled their nominees for the esteemed Young Player of the Year accolade on Thursday. However, there was a significant omission despite a standout season.
This award is deservedly given to the most outstanding young talent in the Premier League from the last season, with Cole Palmer having been the previous recipient.
While Arsenal’s center-back William Saliba has been shortlisted, and Declan Rice is a contender for Player of the Year, some supporters might be puzzled by the exclusion of a certain player.
After starring in the academy as a midfielder, Mikel Arteta informed the teenager that if he wants to break into the fold he should target the left back spot, and he did just that, coming in as an emergency replacement playing 21 times in the league.
Speaking on the It’s Called Soccer! podcast, both former Premier League greats were asked for their picks of the brightest talents, and were unanimous in their votes for who should win the award.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher both picked one player for Young Player of the Year, only for them not to be nominated in the Premier League’s final shortlist
Myles Lewis-Skelly was controversially left off the Premier League Young Player of the Year list
Carragher cited the stages that Lewis-Skelly has starred on in just his first senior season
‘I’ll go for Lewis-Skelly,’ began former Manchester United right back Neville.
‘He looks like he’s been there forever, just the way he’s slotted in there. I think it was a position that was causing Arsenal a problem. I think he’s an unbelievable talent, and his temperament’s fantastic.
‘On the ball, the way he dribbles past people it just mesmerises me really, it shouldn’t be happening at any age let alone being at that age.’
And Carragher was quick to join in on the acclaim, citing one of his most impressive performances of a blistering season, though it fell outside the Premier League’s remit.
‘I’d say him as well, the other one I was thinking about was [Dean] Huijsen, at the back for Bournemouth I’m a huge fan of his,’ he added.
‘But when you think of the performances Lewis-Skelly’s put in, and the arenas he’s put them in, you know, I’m thinking about him in the Bernabeu – yeah I’ll go with him.’
The list in full was made up of Saliba, Huijsen, Palmer, Ryan Gravenberch, Liam Delap, Anthony Elanga, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.
This season Lewis-Skelly has played 37 times for the senior team, scoring once – a stunning effort against Manchester City in the 5-1 win that saw him make headlines for mocking Erling Haaland’s celebration.
Lewis-Skelly earned himself a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and scored on debut
He was a key part of the team that beat Real Madrid across two legs in the Champions League
He famously copied Erling Haaland’s meditative celebration after scoring against Man City
Off the back of his emergence as an elite left back he also earned a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad.
He marked his debut in typical fashion, scoring in the first half of a 2-0 win against Albania at Wembley to stake a claim for the No 3 shirt at next summer’s World Cup.
His season continued to go from strength to strength with an impressive display in both legs against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the biggest stage he had featured on to date at the age of 18, but remained unfazed.
Given the strength of his performances, Arsenal’s previous problem-position of left back appears a lot more secure, potentially allowing them to focus a lot further up the pitch when it comes to the transfer market this summer.
