Liverpool make the trip to Austria to face LASK on Wednesday, 14 October in their second UEFA Champions League league phase fixture, with kick-off at 5:45pm BST. Andoni Iraola's side are eager to restore confidence after a bruising 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City at Anfield last Sunday.

A historic night for LASK

It is a landmark occasion for the Austrian champions, who are hosting a UEFA Champions League fixture for the first time in their history. LASK earned their place in the competition proper with a stunning comeback win over Celtic in the qualifying play-offs, though their debut in the league phase brought a 1-0 defeat to AEK Athens — and they have not won in their last three Austrian Bundesliga matches either.

Their record against English clubs makes grim reading: one draw and five defeats, including two losses to Liverpool themselves in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League. Beating the Reds in their first-ever home game at this stage would, without question, be one of the great upsets.

Liverpool's form and injury concerns

Liverpool opened their league phase campaign in fine style, mounting a 2-1 comeback victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield. But Sunday's heavy loss to Manchester City dented Iraola's previously unbeaten record at the club, making three points in Linz all the more pressing.

The Reds will be without several key players. Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored the equaliser against Atletico Madrid, has stayed behind in England with an injury. Forwards Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are also ruled out. In their absence, youngsters Jayden Danns, Wellity Lucky, and Josh Sonni-Lambie have earned call-ups, while Lewis Koumas and Rio Ngumoha could feature from the first whistle.

How to watch LASK vs Liverpool

Fans in Ireland can watch the match for free on Virgin Media Two, with streaming available via Virgin Media Play. UK viewers can catch the game on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with plans starting from £25.99 per month. In the United States, Paramount+ carries the action, with kick-off at 12:45pm ET — subscriptions begin at $8.99 per month. Australian supporters can tune in on Stan Sport at 3:45am AEDT on Thursday, with the platform now priced at AU$29.99 per month.

Fans outside their home country can use a VPN service such as NordVPN to access their usual streaming platform from abroad.

Prediction

LASK have the occasion, but Liverpool have the quality — even a depleted Reds squad should prove too strong for the Austrian debutants. Expect Liverpool to leave Linz with all three points.