Lask v Liverpool: Champions League – live

The only previous time that Liverpool have visited Lask, in the Europa League back in 2023, Jürgen Klopp was still manager of the club and the German put out a largely second-string XI, with Caoimhin Kelleher, Kostas Tsimikas, Harvey Elliott, Steven Bajcetic, Ben Gannon-Doak, Wataru Endo, Darwin Núñez all part of the starting line-up.

At half-time, Lask were 1-0 up and although Núñez scored a penalty early in the second half, it was only after the hour mark – when Klopp brought on Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister – that Liverpool finally wrestled control of the match. Two minutes after those subs, Luis Diaz put Liverpool ahead before another late substitute, Mohamed Salah came off the bench to seal a 3-1 win.

Nearly all of those players (and manager) are unavailable today, either having left the club or sidelined with injury, and Andoni Iraola will surely pick a much stronger XI this time around. Not only because the Spaniard can ill afford a slip up in Austria, but also because Lask are more accomplished since that last Liverpool visit, with the Linz-based club winning the Austrian Bundesliga last season for the first time since 1965. Absences of key personnel – including Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, his three leading goalscorers – means that Iraola will surely play his best team where he can. Some players, including Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola (the latter without a goal or an assist in six appearances since his £123m arrival from Paris Saint-Germain, or even win possession in the final third) desperately need to play themselves into form if the Reds are to play again in the Champions League next season. Iraola has said he trusts the £100m+ pair, which is at least something.

Liverpool should be wary of striker Christoph Lang, who has started this season like a train with five goals in eight league matches. It would be a big blow for Lask if Moses Usor is not fit – the winger topped both the club’s scoring and assists in their double-winning season last year and scored on his Nigeria debut during the recent international break but is a doubt for this match. Melayro Bogarde, nephew to former Ajax, Barcelona and Chelsea defender Winston Bogarde, is another important cog at the base of Lask’s midfield.

An intriguing kick-off at 5.45pm BST for an intriguing match-up. And one that Liverpool should not take lightly.