Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers hails ‘valuable’ Cengiz Under and says he has ‘real special talent’

Brendan Rodgers is hoping Leicester’s new Riyad Mahrez and his Turkey double act will help him win the battle of the British bosses on Sunday.

Graham Potter’s Brighton are the point-hungry visitors, but they will have to cope with a confident Leicester manager and his in-form squad.

Turkish winger Cengiz Under scored his first Leicester goal last week since his season-long loan from Roma. Rodgers will not make a direct comparison, but clearly feels the winger, who was also coveted by Arsenal, has many similar attributes to former Foxes favourite Mahrez.

Brendan Rodgers has heaped praised on Leicester City’s Turkish winger Cengiz Under (centre)

Rodgers called Under a ‘real special talent’ who can ‘eliminate defenders out of the game’

‘He has that real special talent,’ Rodgers said. ‘People don’t realise how fast he is. He’s very quick. He can run without the ball. That is very good. But he can also make the last pass, he can dribble past someone, he can eliminate defenders out of the game.

‘That is something that you need at times against deep, tight defences. He is still adapting, still finding his feet at the level but we are all enjoying working together with him. He is proving a valuable member for us.

‘Having a left-footed player who could come in from the inside and play on the inside and feed passes through was something that we needed.’

Rodgers highlighting of Under’s skills draw comparisons to Foxes hero Riyad Mahrez (right)

Under’s ability to adapt has been aided by his friendship with defender Caglar Soyuncu, his international team-mate, who could miss this match through injury.

‘They are brothers, aren’t they,’ a delighted Rodgers explained. ‘Their friendship goes back a long time, playing in the youths in Turkey and in the national team.

‘He has settled in really well. He has come into a real family club, which is the essence of the club, it’s together and I think he has really enjoyed that.

Under is close to compatriot Caglar Soyuncu (centre), who may miss the Brighton match

‘He is enjoying the intensity of the league, he’s enjoying the happiness when we win, and in the changing room and he has adapted to our style. He’s having to run more, he’s having to press more, and that takes a bit of time to get used to. But he’s doing very well.’

As are the reputations of the respective managers for a match which brings the rare event of two British bosses battling it out in the top flight.

‘It shouldn’t matter if you are British or foreign,’ Rodgers insisted. ‘The job when you go in is to convince the players to play how you want them to play. Take Graham at Brighton. He has done a brilliant job. He has got the players playing the way he wants and you can see he has got his message through.’