Teden Mengi and Tahith Chong have been told they don’t have to do anything special to prove themselves on their return to former club Manchester United, with Luton boss Rob Edwards keen for the pair to keep playing as they have been.
The duo joined the Hatters this summer and both featured in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with the Red Devils’ arch-rivals Liverpool, where Chong bagged his first goal for Town.
The Dutchman, 23, left Feyenoord to sign for United in 2016. He made three Premier League appearances at Old Trafford before moving permanently to Birmingham City last season, where he caught Luton’s eye.
Edwards said: “We’ve got them at our football club now and their history is their history. They’ve had amazing upbringings at Manchester United and they’ve worked with some fantastic coaches and other brilliant players.
“I think we’re hopefully now going to see the best years of them, with us. I’m sure they both looking forward to it. We’re trying not to make it too much of an emotional occasion. They haven’t got to do anything that they haven’t been doing before. They’ve been great for us. They’ve been brilliant people and have had positive impacts for us so far for us.
“The big message from me is that you don’t have to do anything special just because it’s Manchester United, your former club. I know it’s a big occasion for them, but go and enjoy it and keep doing what you’ve been doing.”
Chong has had to make an impact off the bench in recent matches and asked how much his goal against Liverpool will give the attacker a boost, Edwards said: “He’s amazing, Chongy. I think he’s been impacting games really well from the bench and then, obviously, his challenge is to keep doing that. And when he gets his opportunities, to take them from the start.
“I think he’s brilliant around the place. Every single day in training he gives everything. His quality has been there for all to see but that (the Liverpool goal) was his biggest impact so far. It’s great he’s going into this game in a real confident mood.”
With defensive injuries giving him his chance, Mengi, 21, has started to establish himself in Luton’s backline too, and he helped keep Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez quiet at Kenilworth Road.
A Manchester native, the centre half came up through United’s academy, but never made a league appearance at the Theatre of Dreams.
Edwards said: “Teden is going to be a really good player. I think it’s a really good bit of business by the football club. Young, athletic, good with the ball, wants to defend and he’s made a really good start to life here at Luton. What I was really pleased about, there were a couple of elements to his game that he’s really worked hard on in a week.
“I think he’s shown that he’s coachable and intelligent as well, and he put that into practice against Liverpool. So I’m delighted with how he’s started with us.
“It’s a nice little gain for us, but they’ve (Manchester United) got loads and loads of quality. It’s a decision that’s been made so I’m not going to criticise them for allowing him to come here. What they’ve done is seen an opportunity for him as well. They do look after their players. Maybe it was going to be difficult to get that first team football and they’ve allowed him to further his career in the Premier League here with us, so I think it was a really good decision.”
The match will be Luton’s first trip to Old Trafford in 32 years and they will have flying winger Chiedozie Ogbene fit after an injury scare against Liverpool. Asked how his players have been looking at the game this week, Edwards said: “I think they’re excited and looking forward to it, I know I am. It’s a brilliant game for us against another giant of English football.
“Going to Old Trafford is a really special occasion for us, but like the message for Liverpool last week, we want to compete and want to do well. We’ll enjoy it a whole lot more if we do.”
