LASK Linz vs Liverpool Preview

Liverpool will begin their Europa League campaign this Thursday when they travel to Linz to face Austrian bigwigs LASK.

The hosts are playing at this stage of the Europa League for the third time in their history. They booked their place in this round by beating Bosnian club HŠK Zrinjski Mostar in the play-offs.

They will share the Group E stage with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Toulouse, and Liverpool and they will be hoping to cause a massive upset against Jürgen Klopp’s side.

The Black-Whites have good reason to back themselves to get a result here, given that they have lost just once across their last ten matches (W6, D3). They’ve also proven a tough nut to crack in Europe, losing just once across their last 16 games in continental action (W11, D4).

Despite their strength, Liverpool are a different beast. The Reds are enjoying a positive start to the season, with four consecutive wins and a draw so far this season. Those results form part of a 16-match unbeaten sequence for the Anfield side (W11, D5), who are playing in this competition for the first time since 2016 when they got to the final.

Liverpool have scored first in each of their six wins against Austrian opposition, so another quick start could prove decisive here for the visitors. However, they have failed to score first in three of their last four games despite going on to win all of those matches.