Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu is eyeing more goals after bagging a ‘banger’ against Derby and it could be just the ticket for Town as they’ve never lost when the midfielder has hit the net.
His 67th minute blast – which cancelled out Wayne Rooney’s opener – was his 17th goal for the Hatters, across four divisions, and the 15th time Luton have won when he’s scored, with just one draw.
After the 3-2 triumph, Mpanzu said: “Hopefully I can score more goals and keep us up. It would be good to get more goals and help out (Harry) Cornick, Collo (James Collins), Kaz (LuaLua) also. Hopefully I can add to the goals they’re going to get as well.”
He may now have more licence to get forward after operating well alongside the more defensively minded Glen Rea, and the Hatters would do well accommodate him as he’s confident about finding the net, if given the chance.
“Striking the ball is easy for me so I hit the ball and it went in the back of the net. There might have been [a deflection] but it was a banger, so a goal is a goal.”
Mpanzu’s strike came on the sixth anniversary of him signing permanently for Luton and he said: “Time flies when you’re having fun.
“It was good to get a goal; it was a must-win for us, to be honest. We haven’t won in a while so it was good to get three points and try and chase the pack above us so, hopefully, this is the start of something great and we can do it again against West Brom on Saturday.”
Town will travel to the Hawthorns, having narrowed the gap to Championship safety to six points after their first win in nine games.
They’re still propping up the division, but Mpanzu believes confidence is high, saying, “It’s just about putting the right tactics, the right manoeuvres and putting the ball in the back of the net.
“That is vital for us, so beating Derby is a great achievement. Obviously we have to continue to do that against West Brom and whoever’s ahead of us in the coming weeks.”
