Liverpool traveled to Austria on Wednesday to face LASK in the second matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m. local time at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz. Manager Andoni Iraola used the trip to hand rare starts to academy products Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, reshuffling his lineup after a rough week domestically.
The changes come with context: Liverpool are trying to bounce back from a heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield in their last outing, a result that left fans anxious about form heading into a congested fixture list.
Iraola Turns to Youth in Austria
With Liverpool missing several senior players, Iraola leaned on depth. Andoni Iraola made four changes to his lineup for his first Champions League fixture away from Anfield, with Kostas Tsimikas handed the captain's armband, as Liverpool traveled to Austria without eight senior players due to either injury or ineligibility.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo all failed to recover from their respective knocks in time to be available for selection. That left Iraola with little choice but to trust his younger options in attack and midfield.
Confirmed Liverpool Lineup
Liverpool lined up with Alisson in goal; Frimpong, Araujo, Jacquet and Tsimikas across the back four; Nyoni and Gravenberch in midfield; and Ngumoha, Wirtz and Barcola supporting Koumas up front. Ryan Gravenberch was named to start in midfield alongside Nyoni and Wirtz despite having a Premier League suspension to serve on Saturday, while Rio Ngumoha returned to the XI on the wing.
The decision to start Gravenberch despite his upcoming ban reflects how short-handed Iraola currently is. Jeremy Jacquet started, allowing Virgil van Dijk to rest and recover before an important Premier League fixture against Brentford this weekend. Jeremie Frimpong also returned to the side, starting for the first time since Liverpool's 3-1 September win over Tottenham in the Carabao Cup after losing his starting right-back role to Ronald Araujo earlier in the season.
LASK's Starting XI
LASK lined up in a 5-3-2 setup, with Lukas Jungwirth in goal behind a five-man defense, Alessandro Schöpf, Melayro Bogarde and Krystof Danek forming the central midfield trio, and Christoph Lang partnering Samuel Adeniran up front. Austrian coach Dietmar Kühbauer sent out a team built to compete physically rather than chase the game early.
Both Sides Searching for a Result
The fixture carries weight beyond a single matchday. Liverpool need points to steady their Champions League campaign after an uneven start to the season, while LASK are chasing their first meaningful result of the league phase on home soil. The sides previously met in the group stage of a European competition in 2023, when Liverpool turned a deficit into a 3-1 win at the same Raiffeisen Arena.
Elsewhere on the continent this week, Champions League drama has already unfolded, including Barcelona's comeback rout of Galatasaray, a reminder of how quickly results can swing in the competition's early rounds.
Where to Watch in the United States
In the U.S., the match streams on Paramount+, with no traditional TV channel carrying the broadcast. Kickoff was set for 12:45 p.m. ET and 16:45 GMT on Wednesday, giving American fans an early afternoon viewing window.
What Comes Next for Liverpool
Regardless of Wednesday's outcome, Iraola's attention quickly turns back to domestic business. Several of Wednesday's starters, including Gravenberch, will miss the weekend's Premier League trip to face Brentford, meaning more squad rotation is already on the horizon. The performances of Nyoni and Ngumoha in Linz could shape how much Iraola trusts his academy talents in the weeks ahead, particularly with Liverpool's injury list still not fully resolved.
For LASK, the visit of a six-time European champion represents one of the biggest nights of their season, and how Kühbauer's side copes with Liverpool's attacking talent will say plenty about their own ambitions in this Champions League cycle.