Genk Talk up Anfield and “Best Fans in the World”

It’s felt a little bit in recent years as though European sides have made something of a habit of coming to Anfield, playing down the impact they expect the crowd and stadium to make, and then having the crowd and stadium prove them wrong.

Hopefully, then, Genk haven’t just discovered the secret to besting Liverpool at Anfield—heaping praise on the fans and stadium. Which is precisely what 21-year-old Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge has been doing before tonight’s match.

“I never thought I would play at Anfield with Genk,” Berge enthused. “It’s a dream come true to play the best team in the world and at Anfield. It’s special. They’re known for having maybe the best fans in the world so we must do better than last time.”

Last time, Genk was at home and, if not exactly overconfident ahead of the match, they at least gave off the vibe of a team that believed it had a shot of upsetting the defending European Champions. This time around, they’re more muted.

That’s because following their 4-1 defeat to the Reds, Genk have struggled with a loss to Eupen, draw with Antwerp, and a difficult 1-0 victory over Cercle Brugge. It has been a difficult run for them, then—and now they’re headed to Anfield.

“We are struggling at the moment,” Berge admitted, though he and his teammates will still believe they can turn it around, even if they’ll be playing at Anfield. “We are lacking leadership and discipline and need to find the right solutions.”