Liverpool are off to an unbeaten start in the Premier League. They hope to continue their strong play as the Reds kickoff Group E play of the Europa League on Thursday, September 21st vs. LASK in Austria.
Learning About LASK
Since this is the first-ever meeting between the two sides, here is some background on LASK. They are located in the Austrian city of Linz and they are the oldest club in the region after being founded in 1908. They won the Austrian Bundesliga in the 1964-1965 season, the first club outside of Vienna to do so. LASK have also had their troubles as they were playing in the third tier as recently as 2012, but they gained promotion back to the top division in 2015. Their highest finish in the Europa League came in 2016 when they made the knockout stages.
Klopp's Thoughts On The Europa League
Many Liverpool supporters are still disappointed that the Reds did not qualify for the Champions League. But Jürgen Klopp still wants to make the most of the opportunity to play in the Europa League.
“I think we all have to make sure that everybody, for the team I'm responsible, [but] that we all respect the competition in the right manner [and] that we respect the opponents [in] the right manner, Klopp told TNT Sports. “Wherever we will go that will be a massive game for the teams. Everybody [who] comes to Anfield, it will be a massive game for them. It's also in the Champions League the same. We want to go as far as somehow possible. I would love to go to the final, obviously, but I have no clue if you can reach that because there will be a lot of fantastic football teams in between us and that target. So we have to make sure we perform."
Note: Klopp will have a full media session today, on Wednesday, September 20th. LFC Globe will have a full recap available later in the day.
Something Has Got To Give
LASK and Liverpool both enter the match in top form. Liverpool enter the game having garnered a result in 16 straight EPL matches while LASK is unbeaten in their last 6. LASK sit 3rd on the Austrian Bundesliga Table with 14 points. Liverpool are also 3rd on the EPL Table with 13 points. LASK are a balanced team as 7 different players have found the back of the net this year with Robert Zulj leading the way with 3 goals.
LFC Globe Verdict
On paper, this will be a tough game. Liverpool and LASK's stats are very similar so far this season and both clubs have won their share of matches. Plus LASK will be playing in front of their home crowd in a brand-new stadium Raiffeisen Arena. Will these factors be enough to offset Liverpool's more talented players? No. But it will be a close match with the Reds winning 2-1.
Where To Watch
Kickoff is set for 17:45 BST on September 21st and will air on TNT Sports. Supporters in the USA can stream the action on Paramount+. Canadian viewers can watch on DAZN.
A full list of streaming options is available by visiting LFC Globe's Live Streams page