Sunderland man Luke O'Nien delivers 'magnificent' Chris Mepham verdict after summer transfer

Luke O’Nien is loving playing alongside Chris Mepham in the heart of Sunderland’s defence this season.

Mepham, 26, joined Sunderland on a season-long loan from Premier League club Bournemouth during last summer’s transfer deadline day and has since cemented himself as a key cog in head coach Régis Le Bris’ machine.

The Wales international has formed a formidable partnership with Sunderland club captain O’Nien, with the pair keeping three clean sheets in four games alongside full-back colleagues Dennis Cirkin on the left and Trai Hume on the opposite flank.

And O’Nien was quick to commend Mepham, Cirkin and Hume following the goalless draw against QPR in the Championship at Loftus Road last weekend. Sunderland showed super reliance to earn a point after Jobe’s sending off in the second half. O’Nien was also full of praise for substitute Leo Hjelde.

“Superb,” O’Nien responded when asked about playing alongside Mepham in defence. “Bloody magnificent, Chris is, I think it's echoed by everybody around the place and all the fans, he's just magic to play next to and as a person as well, the way he adds to the group and the culture is he's a really, really good guy.”

“His performances speak for themselves. It is really enjoyable playing next to him. Trai, Dennis, we've got players in training that are pushing us every day because they want to come in as well. Leo came on and every time he's come on, he's done really, really well as well. We've got a real good group and we've just got to keep pushing each other.

To be honest with you, I've got really good people around me. They're helping me learn and grow as a player and as an individual, both on and off the pitch. I watch my game back in good detail. I've got one of the best left-backs and defence around me in the league, which helps me as well.

“So we have got a really, really good team. There’s still got a long, long way to go in terms of my game and I've got a lot to learn, a lot to do, but I try and do that as best I can each week.”

On the game against QPR, O’Nien added: “It was a good game for us. There's a lot to take away. I don't think we got the flow of previous weeks, but the way the game unfolded going down to ten, the structure we showed and grinding out a good point in the end, I think it'll be very important.

“I think from the outside, sometimes it looks like there is a bit of a storm, but I think we showed this season there are elements of control while out of possession of the ball. I think we showed that today quite well, even in the last half an hour.

“We might not have had a lot of the ball, but I think there was control out of possession, which is important. Going down to ten, we couldn't break as much because we had that one less body. It's going to be a good one to watch back. Why we didn't get as much flow as we have in previous weeks will be some good lessons for us in there and we'll watch it back and make sure we try and put that right on Wednesday.”