Luton defender Mengi confident Anfield experience will bring out the best in him

​Hatters defender Teden Mengi is confident that tonight’s trip to Anfield to face Premier League leaders Liverpool will bring the best out of him.

The ex-Manchester United youngster has been one of the finds of the season for Luton since joining in August, making 15 starts in the top flight, his latest during Town’s 2-1 defeat to his former team on Sunday. He is now expected to be part of a visiting back-line looking to keep a Reds attack including Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo quiet in front of a crowd of near 60,000.

It will be a similar atmosphere to the experience at Newcastle United recently, where the Hatters earned a thrilling 4-4 draw, as Mengi said: “It just brings out the best in me really, a big atmosphere, big crowd. I just feel like I take a lot of confidence as I’m proud of where I've come in my career and I just want to keep kicking on. I want to remember these moments and want to keep having these moments for the rest of my career.

"It’s not just me, the whole team, because although I only came here this season, but a team like Luton Town have been aspiring for moments like this for a very, very long time. Everyone’s cherishing these moments and it brings the best out of everyone as everyone wants to keep experiencing those things. We just want to stay in the league, not only just stay in the league, but staying in the league with flying colours, as I believe 110 percent we can do it. Everyone just needs to believe it, stay together, stay locked in and we can do it.”

Luton held the Reds to a 1-1 draw when they met at Kenilworth Road earlier in the season, so on going up against table-toppers once more, Mengi added: “I’m really looking forward do playing at Anfield and looking forward to playing against Liverpool again. We gave them a real test here at the Kenny so time to give them another test. It will be tough, everyone knows that, but we’re prepared to go how we know how to go and go how the gaffer wants us to go, and all being well we come away with a win.”