Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier comments on facing Arsenal star

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Illan Meslier has told Leeds United’s official website that it was great to come up against Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi on Monday night, but insisted that his friendship with his former teammate was put on ice for 90 minutes.

It was Arsenal who booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the Emirates. Reiss Nelson scored the game’s only goal during the second-half in what was often a pulsating tie.

Mikel Arteta may not have been pleased by how well Leeds were able to play at times. But perhaps, one Arsenal player will have been happy with a tie that saw the Gunners go through but also saw one particular member of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad produce an outstanding debut performance.

Guendouzi moved to North London from Lorient in 2018. During his four years with the French club, he would have worked closely with Meslier, who remains on their books after joining Leeds on loan in the summer.

And the goalkeeper – who was making his first-team bow for the Championship leaders in the game – insisted that he really enjoyed coming against the Arsenal man on such a big stage.

“It’s an unbelievable stadium, modern, beautiful and the pitch was in the perfect condition to play,” he told the club’s official website. “To come up against Mattéo Guendouzi was great, I know him well from our time at Lorient. He was my friend before the game, he was my friend after the game, but for those 90 minutes he wasn’t my friend, he was my adversary.”

TBR View – Meslier looks to be heading to the top

On Monday’s evidence, it is not only Guendouzi who will be playing at the highest level in the coming years. Meslier was superb and dealt with the occasion brilliantly.

It was a performance that vindicated Leeds’s decision to sign him in the summer. And it was a display that highlighted why plenty of Whites fans want the 19-year-old signed permanently at some stage.