LASK and Liverpool endured different fortunes on UEFA Champions League (UCL) matchday one, with both sides coming into this clash on the back of discouraging defeats at the weekend.
Match News and Current Form
LASK suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against AEK on UCL matchday one, with that being their ninth successive group stage/league phase fixture without victory in UEFA competition. That was clearly a defeat that hit them hard as they haven’t won any of their three games since either (D1, L2), the latest of which was a 2-0 home defeat against SK Rapid which left them well off the pace in the Austrian Bundesliga title race. LASK will be keen to point out that that was the first home match they’ve lost since February (W8, D2), while they’ve also lost just two of their last 16 home games in Europe (W7, D7), but the fact no Austrian team has beaten English opposition in major European competition since 1991 (D7, L27) leaves LASK with a huge mountain to climb.
Liverpool returned from the international break with a heated affair against Manchester City following City’s guilty verdict, but the Reds failed to make use of a raucous Anfield atmosphere as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat. That was their first loss of the season under Andoni Iraola, whose first taste of UCL football with Liverpool was in their 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid on matchday one. That victory saw the Merseysiders collect a 25th win in their last 29 UCL group stage/league phase encounters (L4), winning their last three such games on the road, and victories to nil in their last two away outings in any competition should see them travel with confidence.
Head-to-Head History
Liverpool won both previous H2Hs, extending LASK’s winless run against English opposition to six matches (D1, L5), while the Reds have won eight of their ten encounters with Austrian sides (D1, L1).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Eight of LASK’s last ten matches produced over 2.5 goals.
LASK’s last five home matches were decided by a multi-goal margin.
None of Liverpool's last 82 UCL group stage/league phase matches finished goalless.
Liverpool have scored exactly twice in five of their last six away matches.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Christoph Lang may be the man to spark LASK into life in the early stages, since his last four club goals all came before the half-hour mark. It could be a race between him and Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola in that endeavour, since the Frenchman’s last four UCL goals all came before the 20th minute as he awaits his first goal for the Reds.
Both Moses Usor and George Bello went off injured at the weekend for LASK, while Liverpool were without key trio Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexander Isak against City.
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Betting Analysis
The Reds are obvious favourites to win this game, and considering LASK’s home games are often settled by wide margins, backing Liverpool to win by 2+ goals seems a smart option.
Author: Peter Stavrinou