Liverpool heads into their second match of the Champions League group stage after a resounding 0-3 defeat against Manchester City at Anfield. Coach Andoni Iraola, who took over last season, seeks to get the “red” team back to its winning ways and stay in the fight for qualification to the next phase. The match will be played on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. at the Raiffeisen Arena, where Liverpool will try to overcome the frustration of the recent defeat and prevent the descent from the Premier League table from becoming more alarming.
Premier League football continues to be a rollercoaster for the Anfield club. With nine points ahead of leader Manchester City, Liverpool occupies ninth position and its performance has been irregular since the start of the season. The defeat against City left the team with a lack of goals and creativity in attack, something that Iraola has tried to correct in his recent games. In the group stage, Liverpool began with a 2‑1 victory over Atlético Madrid on 9 September, but the defeat against City has called into question the team's ability to maintain a consistent performance.
Liverpool's squad will be affected by the absence of several key players. Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai will not be available for the match against LASK. The three players do not suffer serious injuries, but are not yet ready to return to action. In the starting lineup, Iraola has decided to rely on players like Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk and Kerkez in defense, while Gravenberch and Mac Allister stand out in midfield. In attack, Barcola, Wirtz and Ngumoha are on the list, although the coach has defended their performance despite media criticism.
Iraola has also defended Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz, two players who have received criticism for their lack of goals and assists. Barcola, who arrived from PSG for 145 million euros, has yet to score or assist in six games for Liverpool. The coach has said that “sometimes we focus too much on those statistics” and that he is confident in his ability to contribute to the team. Wirtz, signed for 125 million euros from Bayer Leverkusen, has also not shown the level he exhibited at his previous club. Despite this, Iraola has said that “we know their level and without a doubt they will perform well.”
LASK, who also lost 0-2 against Rapid Vienna on Sunday, arrive at the Raiffeisen Arena with a position of sixth place in the Austrian League. The Austrian team had a difficult start to the season, with a 1‑0 defeat against AEK Athens in the Champions League. The match between Liverpool and LASK will be an opportunity for the Anfield team to regain confidence and stay in the fight to qualify for the next phase of the Champions League.