Liverpool face LASK in Champions League action seeking bounce-back win

Liverpool travel to Austria tonight facing LASK at the Raiffeisen Arena in a UEFA Champions League fixture that kicks off at 5:45 pm BST, with head coach Andoni Iraola's patched-up side seeking an immediate response to a demoralising weekend defeat. Fans looking to follow the action in the UK can tune in live on TNT Sports or stream the match via the HBO Max app, while live audio commentary, post-match analysis, and a full replay are available through This Is Anfield.

The fixture arrives in the wake of a difficult Sunday for the Merseysiders, who suffered a 3-0 home loss to Premier League leaders Manchester City at Anfield. That match saw midfielder Ryan Gravenberch receive a controversial red card, leaving a gulf in class all too apparent and prompting calls from supporters for changes to a starting line-up that has yet to hit top gear under Iraola. LASK enter the contest sitting 27th in the Champions League standings after opening their league-phase debut with a 1-0 defeat at AEK Athens, while Liverpool occupy 13th place following a 2-1 opening win against Atletico Madrid.

Can a youthful Liverpool side overcome eight senior absences in Linz?

Iraola has been forced to assemble a makeshift lineup due to a severe injury and ineligibility crisis that left Liverpool travelling to Austria without eight senior players. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak, and Cody Gakpo joined longer-term absentees on the sidelines, adding to the pressure on a squad already missing key personnel. LASK are similarly depleted, with manager Dietmar Kühbauer missing winger Moses Usor entirely after the Nigerian international aggravated an issue lasting only 12 minutes during a weekend defeat.

The visiting side shows four changes from the weekend, most notably with captain Virgil van Dijk rested on the bench alongside Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Victor Munoz. Jeremie Frimpong comes in at right back, while teenager Trey Nyoni makes his first Champions League start in midfield alongside Gravenberch, whose Premier League suspension does not carry over into European competition. In attack, Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas earn rare nods in the starting XI alongside Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola.

What does the starting XI data reveal about the squad's trajectory?

The team selection highlights a striking youth movement at Anfield, producing a starting XI with an average age of 24 years and 186 days. According to historical records, this marks the third-youngest starting side Liverpool has ever named for a UEFA Champions League fixture, trailing only matches played in September 2001 against Borussia Dortmund at 24 years and 136 days, and December 2020 against Midtjylland at 24 years and 26 days.

• Rio Ngumoha steps into the attack on the left wing in place of Victor Munoz.
• Lewis Koumas leads the line in Austria.
• Trey Nyoni pairs with Ryan Gravenberch in central midfield.
• Jeremie Frimpong and Konstantinos Tsimikas take over the full-back roles.

Dailymail.com notes that mega-money signing Bradley Barcola has endured a difficult start following his £123m move, going six games without a goal or assist after failing to make an impact against Manchester City. That slow integration mirrors the early pressure faced last season by Florian Wirtz following his £116m transfer, placing considerable weight on both players to deliver a performance in Austria.

How do the historical records and recent domestic struggles stack up?

LASK head into the encounter in poor form under manager Dietmar Kühbauer, recording one win, one draw, and three losses from their last five matches across all competitions. Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Rapid Vienna made it four competitive games without a win for the Austrian double winners, prompting Kühbauer to admit bluntly that his side had been far away from a win and that Liverpool play well above Rapid, via 101greatgoals.com. LASK's starting left-back George Bello was also injured against Rapid Vienna, forcing Yvan Dibango into the starting lineup at wing-back.

Liverpool hold a strong historical record against their Austrian opponents, having swept both meetings in the 2023 Europa League group stage. That included a 3-1 victory in Linz under former manager Jürgen Klopp—who deployed a second-string side featuring Caoimhin Kelleher, Harvey Elliott, and Darwin Núñez—followed by a 4-0 win at Anfield. When Liverpool take the field tonight, supporters may also pause to remember Besian Idrizaj, a forward who tragically passed away at age 22 in 2010 and who once connected both clubs after joining the Reds from LASK in 2005.

Where will the defensive consistency come from tonight?

LASK's defensive vulnerabilities have been apparent domestically, where they conceded seven goals across their last five matches while scoring seven. Melayro Bogarde, nephew of former Ajax, Barcelona and Chelsea defender Winston Bogarde, anchors the base of LASK's midfield alongside Alessandro Schopf and Krystof Danek. LASK's confirmed lineup features Jungwirth in goal, protected by a defensive block of Jorgensen, Mbuyamba, Alemao, Andrade, and Dibango, with Christoph Lang and Adeniran up front.

For Liverpool, Alisson starts in goal for the eighth time this season behind a makeshift back four of Frimpong, Araujo, Jacquet, and Tsimikas. With a testing trip to Brentford looming, Iraola must weigh how much energy to expend in Austria before domestic duties resume. Can a patched-up side missing eight senior contributors maintain enough defensive structure to secure consecutive European victories?