Bruno Guimaraes stepped onto the Emirates pitch for the first time in a pre‑season friendly against Italian side Como, while academy prodigy Myles Lewis‑Skelly found the net, only for the match to finish level at 1‑1 before Arsenal ultimately triumphed 4‑3 in a penalty shoot‑out. Guimaraes, the £75 million midfielder Arsenal secured from Newcastle United earlier this summer, was introduced at the interval, replacing a half‑time scoreline that had been set by Lewis‑Skelly and then equalised by Martin Baturina.
Lewis‑Skelly’s goal arrived after he intercepted a wayward pass from Como goalkeeper Jean Butez and calmly slotted the ball home. The youngster, whose future has been the subject of intense speculation, celebrated with a distinctive heart‑shaped hand gesture, a visual reminder of the affection he still commands among Gunners supporters despite rumours of a possible departure. The arrival of Guimaraes was met with enthusiastic applause from the home crowd, but the Portuguese midfielder’s impact on the scoreboard was limited in the 45‑minute second half. Arsenal were unable to carve out a decisive lead, and the match proceeded to a dramatic penalty shoot‑out.
In the ensuing spot‑kick drama, both Guimaraes and fellow new signing Christos Tzolis stepped up and converted their attempts, helping the Gunners edge past Como 4‑3 on penalties. Mikel Arteta’s selection choices sparked conversation. Despite the recent return of key figures such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi from World Cup duty, Arteta opted to leave them out of the squad, perhaps to manage fatigue or to give other players a chance to impress.
The line‑up did feature several other internationals who had just completed summer campaigns: England’s Eberechi Eze, Spain’s David Raya, Mikel Merino and Noni Madueke all made cameo appearances, offering a glimpse of the depth Artarta hopes to deploy once the competitive season begins. Looking ahead, Arsenal’s focus now shifts to the Community Shield clash with Manchester City in Cardiff on Sunday, followed by the Premier League opener against Coventry City on Friday, August 21, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Fans are encouraged to follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp for up‑to‑date news, video highlights, analysis and more.
While the headline moments centered on Guimaraes’s debut and Lewis‑Skelly’s goal, another young player stole the show: 16‑year‑old defender Marli Salmon. Alongside fellow academy graduate Max Dowman, Salmon was thrust into the centre‑back role early in the game, with 18‑year‑old Theo Julienne positioned at full‑back.
As Arteta rotated the squad and made a series of sweeping substitutions, Salmon remained composed, delivering a performance that earned him a standing ovation from the crowd when he was subbed off in the 88th minute. Statistically, Salmon’s contribution was remarkable. He won nine of his 13 duels – the highest tally of any player on either side – and completed 42 of his 43 attempted passes, a pass‑completion rate that topped the match. These numbers reflected not only his technical proficiency but also a maturity beyond his years, both in possession and in defensive engagements.
Como’s head coach, former Arsenal academy star Cesc Fàbregas, praised the youngster’s influence, stating, “Amazing. That’s what it’s all about. Hale End does an amazing job.” Arteta echoed the sentiment, describing Salmon as “exceptional” and hinting that the defender could become a reliable option in the senior squad moving forward.
In the post‑match press conference, Arteta spoke highly of Guimaraes, noting that the midfielder had only three training sessions with the team but already displayed a strong desire to contribute: “He was really pushing to play some minutes today. I think he wanted to get his debut and feel the atmosphere in front of our fans immediately. You can sense a strong connection already, which I believe will make us better.” Midfielder Mikel Merino, speaking to Arsenal’s official YouTube channel, highlighted the overall team performance: “I think we dominated.
The team showed what it is capable of. Everyone was at a good level. Honestly, I think we deserved to win; we had massive chances to score.
We’ll take the positives into the next game and hopefully dominate every game like we did today.” Regarding the upcoming Community Shield, Arteta added, “It’s another final and we want to win, we want to give the fans more happiness. But especially for us, we want to compete. Wearing this shirt and this badge means a lot and that’s about giving everything and playing to our best capacity.” The pre‑season schedule that led to this friendly has been busy for Arsenal.
Highlights include a 3‑0 victory over MK Dons on July 25, a 4‑1 demolition of Girona on August 1, a 3‑1 win against Real Betis in Dublin on August 5, a narrow 3‑2 loss to Borussia Dortmund on August 9, and finally the 1‑1 draw with Como on August 12, which set the stage for the penalty shoot‑out. The Community Shield against Manchester City is slated for August 16 in Cardiff at 3 pm, providing a high‑profile curtain‑raiser before the league campaign kicks off.