Former Manchester United defender Teden Mengi received huge praise for his performance at Goodison Park at the weekend.
Mengi, 21, spent 15 years coming through the academy ranks at United but left for Luton Town last summer. The centre-back left Old Trafford with the desire to play regular first-team football and he has achieved that with the Premier League newcomers.
It was a good weekend for Luton, after they knocked Everton out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park. Mengi made his 15th successive start for the Hatters, up against a striking duo of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto.
The Everton fair couldn’t get the better of Mengi, though, as he kept them quiet throughout the fourth round tie.
Former Liverpool defender Steven Warnock praised Mengi for his solid display against Everton on Match of the Day and revealed that he considers him a ‘top, top performer’.
Warnock said (via United In Focus): “The defensive unit, especially Teden Mengi was outstanding today, he was great, but what he’s allowed to do, or what he’s able to do is he’s able to go tight and what Luton do, is they’re very brace out of possession.
“They go three v three, they’re quite comfortable to do that, because of Mengi’s pace, he’s quite happy. Beto’s no slouch, but he’s strong, he’s athletic, gets back in, but he’s also very physical in the way he defends. I love this defending, not letting Beto turn, being strong and aggressive with him. Yes it leads to a foul, but Beto doesn’t want to play with that, he doesn’t want that type of battle, cos that’s tough to play against. Mengi here, he wins the first header initially, but this is where you have to come to life, just keep your eye on him and the rest of the Luton defenders, he’s the only one who reacts and that is quite brilliant.
“He loves getting clean sheets, he wants to get clean sheets. This time he gets caught on the wrong side, but watch the left arm, that left arm across the chest of Beto, making sure that he’s quick, wins his team a free kick, takes the pressure off. Similar incident, he learns from it, gets goal side, then he’s got pace to burn. Chermiti thinks he’s getting away, he’s not because of the pace of Mengi, he reads that situation. This is Mengi’s form, top of the interceptions in the game, the clearances, a real quality performance and he has been a steal for Luton this season and a top, top performer.”
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