Djed Spence laughs off idea that Arsenal star could beat him one-on-one – before hailing different Gunners rival as ‘a bad boy’

Djed Spence has laughed off claims that an Arsenal star could beat him in a one-vs-one battle on the field.

Full back Spence has enjoyed a meteoric rise in north London recently, taking advantage of Spurs’ injury problems this season to earn himself a regular spot in his side’s starting XI.

It has come as a surprise to many, with the full back’s Spurs career almost over before it started after he was branded a ‘club signing’ by former boss Antonio Conte, suggesting he didn’t want him at the club.

While contracted to Tottenham, the 24-year-old has spent time on loan at Rennes, Leeds and Genoa, and it seemed a matter of when rather than if he would leave the club.

But he has stepped up this season under Ange Postecoglou, playing 24 times in all competitions and impressing going both forwards and backwards in the Spurs team.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand‘s ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ this week, meanwhile, he has talked up his game, and rubbished ideas that one forward from rivals Arsenal would be able to get past him.

Spence talked up his defensive game, suggesting ‘I don’t think there’s many out there that could beat him

Spence laughed off the idea that Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli could get past him in a game

Talking about his defensive game, Spence said: ‘Literally, in a one-vs-one battle, no, I don’t think there’s many out there.’

Ferdinand’s co-host, Joel Beya, put the question to Spence: ‘What about my boy, [Gabirel] Martinelli?’

Spence saw the funny side of things, immediately donning a big smile and laughing in response, throwing his head back.

Martinelli has had a stop-start season for Arsenal this year, scoring seven goals in 38 games in a season in which he has also missed a lot of time due to injury.

The Spurs man, who revealed he wants to play for England despite being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s first squad as Three Lions boss, did, however, talk up another rival player.

It was Arsenal man Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has enjoyed his own rise this season, who the full back has been impressed by – and one act in particular. 

‘I loved it, man,’ Spence said of Lewis-Skelly copying Erling Haaland’s celebration earlier this season. ‘I was like, “He’s a bad boy for that”.

‘Haaland said to him, “Who are you”? He scored and let him know who he was.

He hailed Myles Lewis-Skelly, however, as ‘a bad boy’ for his Erling Haaland-style celebration

Lewis-Skelly copied the celebration when scoring for Arsenal against City earlier this season

‘Why not do that? I heard comments of, “He’s a young kid and he hasn’t won anything”, but why is it disrespectful?

‘It’s just part of the game, it’s just a response, and me personally, I think that’s the perfect response.’