Mikel Arteta said he instructed Myles Lewis-Skelly at the start of the season that the teenager would need to change from being a midfielder to left back if he wants a chance of playing.
The 18-year-old’s assured midweek performance against Tottenham was widely lauded and his substitution in the second half went viral.
As Arsenal prepared to defend a Spurs corner, Lewis-Skelly — their youngest player to start a Premier League north London derby since Cesc Fabregas in 2005 — threw up his arms to the crowd, receiving a big ovation.