Ibrahima Konate has sent an impassioned message to match-going Liverpool supporters in the wake of the Reds’ most recent victory.
Anfield was rocking on Tuesday night as Arne Slot’s team swept Bayer Leverkusen aside in a 4-0 Champions League rout, just as it had been for the second half of the comeback win over Brighton in the Premier League three days previously.
The French defender has now implored the Merseyside faithful to maintain that ferocity from the stands, especially as he believes visiting teams view getting a result in L4 as a significant scalp.
Konate urges Liverpool fans to keep the noise up
Speaking to liverpoolfc.com after the win over Leverkusen, Konate said: “The atmosphere was crazy today and I hope the fans will keep going like that until the end of the season.
“Honestly, we need Anfield. Everyone, when they play against Liverpool – it’s one of the best clubs in the world – especially when they come here, they just want to win because if you win against Liverpool, it’s a big story for them.
“When they come here, they have more energy and they’re playing with 2,000% and we need the fans. If the fans are with us, it’s just unbelievable how we can play.”
Anfield can certainly be Liverpool’s proverbial 12th player
Anfield has a long-standing reputation as one of the most atmospheric stadia in world football, and while it was abuzz for the wins over Brighton and Leverkusen in recent days, that hasn’t always been the case this season.
A Nottingham Forest fan who attended their win away to Liverpool in September told Jamie Carragher that he felt the stadium’s renown for its atmosphere was a myth, and many Reds fans who attended that match and the preceding win over Brentford bemoaned the lack of noise from the stands on those afternoons.
There’s no denying that the volume generated at the stadium can be largely dictated by cirumstance – for example, it’s always likelier to be more boisterous for an outstanding performance in a floodlit fixture against an elite opponent than a lethargic struggle in a lunchtime kick-off against a team we’re expected to beat comprehensively.
It’s noteworthy that Konate has publicly called for LFC supporters to keep the noise levels up, with his comments underlining just how much of an impact the crowd can make on the team, who’ll hopefully continue to give the Merseyside faithful plenty of reason to cheer as the season progresses.
