The view from Genk: 'Samatta the biggest weapon'

Jürgen Klopp's Reds bounced back from defeat in Naples on matchday one to beat Salzburg 4-3 at Anfield last time out, while Genk recovered from a 6-2 away thrashing to hold Group E leaders Napoli to a 0-0 draw at their KRC Genk Arena.

That goalless draw against the Italian visitors on matchday two means the Belgian title-holders are now unbeaten in their last six home games in the Champions League.

So, what can we expect from the Blauw-Wit on Wednesday night? We caught up with Belgian football journalist Sven Claes, who covers Genk for Het Belang van Limburg, to get the lowdown...

What kind of form are Genk in heading into this match?

Genk lost their last game in the Belgian Pro League at Standard Liege (1-0). With 16 points out of their first 10 games in the competition you can conclude they are still struggling to reach their highest level from last season. A lot of new players still aren't in their best shape, that's why they find it so difficult now to win their matches.

Tell us about the playing style and approach of new manager Felice Mazzu?

Italo-Belgian Felice Mazzu, who coached Charleroi last season, still uses the patrons from last year under head coach Philippe Clement, who left the Belgian champions this summer for Club Brugge.

Genk play an attacking 4-3-3 in the domestic league and 4-2-3-1 in the Champions League. Ball possession is very important to this team.

What are the fans' expectations for the season?

The expectations for the Genk fans aren't that high in Europe. But they all hope the club can win their first game ever in Champions League history.

In the domestic league, Genk are fighting to be within the first six in the rankings to play Play-Off 1 after 30 games. Becoming Belgian champions for a second time in a row isn't realistic.

Who is the star of the team?

The biggest star in the team on Wednesday will be Sander Berge, a 21-year-old Norwegian defensive midfielder.

Which key player battle are you looking forward to seeing most?

I'm looking forward to seeing Berge perform on a higher level than the Belgian Pro League and Europa League. The midfielder is a real metronome and always keeps his calm in the heat of the moment.

He'll learn a lot in games like these against more experienced midfielders, who play every week on a top level. But he won't be starstruck.

What is Genk's biggest strength?

Their biggest weapon is attacker Ally Samatta. The captain of Tanzania married last week in his home country. He'll be fully focused on a good performance tonight.

How do you think Genk will line up against Liverpool?

Mazzu played a 4-2-3-1-formation against Salzburg and Napoli, with two defensive midfielders in Berge and Patrik Hrosovsky. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the Genk boss decided to go with five defenders against Liverpool; Manchester United had success with it on Sunday.