“The Kop was singing and I was like ‘woah’!” he told the Liverpool Echo. “It was an amazing feeling to be out there in the middle.”
The centre-back had been made to wait for that experience, with the redevelopment of the Main Stand delaying his Anfield debut following a summer switch from Bundesliga side FC Schalke.
The Reds marked the occasion with a resounding 4-1 victory over reigning champions Leicester City and have won four of their five home games since in all competitions.
And though Matip is relatively new to the force of the stadium, he already believes it makes a difference.