Edouard Mendy will use Sunday's World Cup 2022 clash with England to prove he remains a top goalkeeper.
Senegal keeper Mendy has lost his status as Chelsea ’s No.1, after struggling with injury, poor form and a lack of faith from new boss Graham Potter. Since Potter took over at Chelsea in September, Mendy has started just two Premier League games - and only because Kepa Arrizabalaga was out injured.
Mendy was at fault for both goals in Senegal’s 2-0 World Cup opener defeat to Holland, coming for a cross he failed to make and then spilling a routine shot.
Despite those blunders, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has stood by Mendy, with back-up keeper, Queens Park Rangers’ Seny Dieng, insisting he remains a world-class stopper.
“Of course he was struggling with injury, so it’s hard,” said Dieng. “But I think he’s definitely back now. He won the best keeper in the world award, so he’s definitely one of the best in the world. He’s an outstanding goalkeeper.”
Mendy’s Chelsea team-mate, Senegal skipper Kalidou Koulibaly, also leapt to his defence, insisting the 30-year-old is an asset, not a liability.
“We speak a lot, we play for the same club and we’re brothers in arms for Senegal,” said Koulibaly. “He’s a very important player for us and it’s normal to go through difficult phases.”
Mendy was named goalkeeper of the tournament as Senegal won the African Cup of Nations in January, keeping four clean sheets and playing a key role in his nation’s penalty shoot-out win over Egypt.
And Dieng is convinced Mendy can be Senegal’s hero once again if their tie with England has to be decided by a penalty shoot-out to determine which team progresses to the quarter-finals.
“We don’t practice penalties in every single training session,” said Dieng. “But, of course, you have to practice them. We had a few penalty shoot-outs this year, so we know what it takes. I know Edouard will definitely do his job - like all the penalty shoot-outs we had this year, he won.”
Senegal have overcome the loss of star player Sadio Mane, ruled out of the tournament through injury, with Dieng claiming their progress to the last 16 shows they were not reliant on the former Liverpool forward.
“I said it at the start of the tournament, of course missing Sadio is a big blow, like it would be for any nation at this tournament,” said Dieng.
“But we showed here in the group stage that the team, we all stuck together and we made it out of the group. We’re definitely ready. Our spirit as a team is very, very good. We won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in the country’s history.
“We have quite a few players that play in England. We’re all aware of the team that England has, we know they are a very good side, but we’re definitely up for it.
“It’s a World Cup knockout game, you don’t need any more motivation than that, but definitely, the fact that we have a lot of players that play in England gives an extra edge.”
