ORIOL Romeu is preparing to make life uncomfortable for Liverpool’s free-scoring attackers – as he takes aim for a domestic trophy victory he can finally take credit for.

The defensive midfielder has been present, but not influential, during great cup runs at previous club Chelsea - having been virtually a bystander to Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup triumphs.

But Saints’ League Cup campaign is truly the first time the Spaniard has been at the thumping heart of a run for silverware glory in club football.

As Saints prepare to take on Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final second leg with a 1-0 first leg lead tonight at Anfield, the 25-year-old is under no illusions that to reach the Wembley final he’ll have to thwart a barrage of attacks from the Premier League’s top-scorers.

“These games are sometimes more mental than tactical,” he explains.

“There will be a lot of effort. They will try to push us hard, to press us high and we need to be mentally ready.

“The crowd will be behind them, they will try to make us feel uncomfortable, but we need to be brave and make an amazing game to go through.”

Like a lot of youngsters, Romeu’s first-ever start in English football came in the early rounds of the League Cup, with managers often spotting a chance to blood young players and rest regulars in low profile ties.

Three days before his 21st birthday, Romeu was selected by Andre Villas-Boas for Chelsea as the Blues prevailed 4-3 in a penalty shootout victory against Fulham at Stamford Bridge in September 2011.

The rookie defensive midfielder soon grew into a trusted option in the Champions League and FA Cup winning 2011/12 campaign – although he only featured in the early rounds of both tournaments.

A serious knee injury then ended his promising Chelsea career in December 2012, with Jose Mourinho shipping him out on loan to Valencia for the 2013/14 season.

Back in Spain, the Barcelona academy graduate was cut down by another knee problem as Valencia went all the way to the semi-finals of the Europa League, eventually losing to Sevilla on away goals with Romeu watching helplessly from the bench.

Now Romeu is a fully fledged professional ready to take on the responsibility of getting Saints to their first Wembley final since the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy triumph in 2010.

That pressure isn’t getting to him, though, and he knows his job at Anfield tonight is an unenviable one given the hosts’ 51 goals in 22 league games.

“Me and the midfield need to try and make those quality or key players feel uncomfortable,” he said.

“If we do that, we will have a massive chance to go through because they want to have the ball between the lines, they want to put those balls between us.

“If we are strong there [in midfield] and win our battles, it will be easier for us.”

Romeu knows, as Saints’ shielding midfielder, that he is likely going to come under big pressure at Anfield.

“These games will be up and down. There will be moments they will be pressing us and we’re going to be defending and suffering, but we need to go through those moments and be brave,” he said.

“They’re going to press and put a lot of pressure on us, but we need to be confident in ourselves and have a strong game.”

Saints aren’t planning to sit behind the ball, and Romeu has warned that playing deep will only help Liverpool’s cause.

“No, we don’t want to keep the back four in our box because that’s going to mean they will score in the 90 minutes,” he said.

“We’re going to be strong and brave and when we’re suffering we need to be a team, fighting together and making sure we don’t allow them to create chances.

“Hopefully the chances we have we put a goal in. If we score we have a massive chance to go through.”

Having been a youth prodigy at one of the world’s super clubs, Barcelona, the Spanish midfielder, who was handed his senior debut by Pep Guardiola at the Catalan giants, knows all too well what it takes for a team to win trophies.

“Sometimes teams and clubs know how to play these kind of games,” he said.

“They don’t panic in a difficult moment.

“They suffer, but they know how to win. They know how to maybe score in the last minute if they have to.

“That’s what we have to do.

“We need to keep ourselves at a good level along the whole 90 minutes.

“It can’t be just for 10/15 minutes. It has to be a good whole game because they will put us under pressure for sure.

“It’s nice to be one step to the final, and those games are amazing for our players.

“Playing at Anfield and having the chance to go to the final ... it’s a chance to show ourselves.”

Romeu knows that it will be a lively atmosphere at Anfield, with Liverpool fans known to be fervently behind their team on big occasions such as these.

It is something Claude Puel’s men must be ready to cope with, according to Romeu.

“We will be ready to play this game,” he said. “We’ve played - not in the cup but in the league - in the top stadiums and we are week-in-week-out playing very good games, very important games with a lot of crowds.

“That [the occasion] won’t make us feel uncomfortable. The atmosphere will be different. It’s something that will be bigger in the semi-final, but we need to manage that.”

Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to strugglers Swansea heading in to tonight’s game – their first defeat in 27 games at Anfield.

It was a crushing blow to their title hopes, but Romeu is refusing to read too much into that result –although reckons the Reds might become a little edgy if they don’t get an early goal.

“It may be good, it may be worse [for us], but they’ll have some doubts if they don’t score at the beginning,” he said. “But they will come with an anger [to bounce back].

“In the end I don’t think we need to think too much about their reaction [to the Swansea defeat] because the main thing is us.

“If we play like we did in the first leg we’ll have a lot of chances.”

In contrast, Saints go to Anfield off the back of a 3-0 win over Leicester City, which put an end to a four-game losing streak in the league.

It was a timely boost.

“It is a very good way [to go into Wednesday],” said Romeu. “Being back at our best level is very good and we’re now feeling comfortable and very confident.

“We are just one step to the final, so we need to do everything we need to get there.”

Defensive colossus and newly-appointed captain Virgil van Dijk is a doubt for tonight’s match, after being forced out with an ankle injury in the second-half against Leicester.

Romeu accepts that Van Dijk will leave a huge void if he isn’t passed fit, but he is confident that rookie defender Jack Stephens can step up.

“We need him,” he said, referring to Van Dijk.

“It wasn’t easy, but Jack (Stephens) came in and did a great job [against Leicester].

“All the balls that Virgil clears and how good he is, but he (Stephens) did a good job for us.

“Virgil is our main man at the back. He wins every ball in the aerial duels and that gives you so much confidence.

“He’s helping us a lot, even more so in this league with this style of football, so hopefully he’s back for that game. If not, we will try and sort it out.

“We have a good enough squad to go there and do a good job.”

After Jose Fonte’s recent departure for West Ham in an £8m deal, Van Dijk was given the skipper’s armband, while Steven Davis was named club captain.

Romeu believes that the Dutchman thoroughly deserves the chance to lead.

“He’s been very good,” he said. “Not only on but off the pitch as well and he shows that. The club are giving him the armband because he deserves it.

“He’s always giving everything for the team and working very hard and we are very pleased to have him here.”