Sheffield United still have everything to play for - Sander Berge

The Norwegian international midfielder, back in his homeland with competitive sport being in shut-down mode across Europe and most of the globe amid the coronavirus pandemic, is working remotely along with the rest of his Blades players who are following fitness programmes issued by the club.

For Berge, who headed to Bramall Lane from Belgian outfit Genk at the end of January, the suspension in footballing activities is an untimely one with the 22-year-old still acquainting himself with the physical demands of the Premier League and the English game.

But he intends to use the time to his advantage in his fitness work and making the best of a tough situation.

Speaking via a Skype call to assembled media, Berge said: “It is strange, of course, but you get more used to it day by day.

“As a footballer, everyone sees what you are doing on the pitch, but it’s about putting hours in all the time when no-one looks at you and that is where you progress the most.

“You have to make the best of the situation and as a new player in Premier League trying to adapt, it’s an opportunity to be better physical shape than when I came over.

“It is the second week at home for us, but if it turns out to be six or eight weeks, it’ll be tougher. But we know where our goals and dreams are at the end, we just want to reach the targets and have to work every day to achieve them. That won’t change.”

Just five games into his top-flight adventure with the Blades, Berge - from a personal perspective - is keen for the season to be played out to a conclusion and has given short shrift to talk regarding the campaign being made null and void and 2019-20 being effectively cancelled.

He said: “I would prefer to play in front of fans as I came to the Premier League to experience atmospheres. But the best solution would be to finish the season off (any way).

“We have everything to play for and achieve with where we are in table and in FA Cup quarter-finals.

“I don’t know what will happen with that but I’m not the right person to ask. I just hope we play the season one day.

“I am up for anything as long as we play the games. I’ll do as I get told, but I’d be happy if we managed to play and get season done and everyone gets what they deserve, albeit in strange circumstances.

“The very important message is to get everyone safe and hopefully decrease the numbers affected by the virus.

“Everybody is waiting for football to get going and if we take it as seriously as we should do, hopefully we can start up against earlier than the worst case scenarios.”

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