Declan Rice admits Mikel Arteta has been tough on Arsenal star behind the scenes

Declan Rice praised Myles Lewis-Skelly for taking Mikel Arteta's tough love in the right way after the youngster excelled against Atletico Madrid. The Gunners booked their place in the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Atleti on Tuesday night , with Lewis-Skelly playing in midfield. The 19-year-old has struggled at times this season, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie providing stern competition at left-back. After a breakthrough 2024/25 campaign, Lewis-Skelly has found himself left on the bench regularly this season. He has started just three games in the Premier League this season, has lost his place in the England squad and even been linked with a move away from north London. But Lewis-Skelly has been given a new lease of life in last two games by moving into midfield. Having impressed in the position during the 3-0 win over Fulham on the weekend, Arteta decided to start Lewis-Skelly over Martin Zubimendi against Atletico. The move paid off, with the youngster composed alongside Rice as Bukayo Saka's goal sent them into their first Champions League final for 20 years. Rice told Amazon Prime: "We have always known what Myles can do. I remember last year when he played so many games. Last year when he stepped up Real Madrid away at the Bernabeu at 18 - I thought: 'Wow what a player.' "The manager has been tough on him behind the scenes. He has kept his head down and he has worked so hard. He is in early, gym and works hard. To be thrown in at the deep end and perform how he did is no surprise to me." Arsenal mustered just two shots on target in the entire match and those came within seconds of each other to conjure their goal, with Saka scoring on the rebound after Leandro Trossard's effort was parried by Jan Oblak. But their remarkable defensive record, which has seen them concede just six times in 14 Champions League games this season, got them over the line, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in Budapest on May 30. "Where this club has come from over the last few years - things that hurt you as a player," Rice added. "The manager has taken full control. We have kept building - we have kept pushing each other. "This competition and the Premier League. We have gone full throttle. We have found ourselves in a good position with less than a month to go. Sunday now is a massive one." Arsenal face West Ham away on Sunday when they will hope to build on Manchester City dropping two points in a 3-3 draw against Everton on Monday night on Merseyside. The Gunners hold a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League table and are now aiming for a historic double. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.