Liverpool seeks to maintain their winning streak against LASK in their first-ever meeting in the Europa League at Raiffeisen Arena.
Liverpool will be eager to continue their impressive run of form as they face off against LASK in a UEFA Europa League showdown at the Waldstadion on Thursday evening.
The Reds are riding high in the Premier League, currently sitting in third place, and they enter this match on the back of four consecutive victories.
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Jurgen Klopp's side will be boosted by the return of their influential captain, Virgil van Dijk, who is back in contention for selection after serving a domestic suspension for the last two Premier League fixtures. Additionally, the deadline-day signing, Ryan Gravenberch, is included in the traveling squad and could make his first start for the club.
On the other hand, LASK has been making waves in the Austrian Bundesliga, currently occupying the third spot in the table with an impressive record of four wins and two draws from seven matches.
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The home side is on a hot streak, having won their last three outings, and they are eager to pull off a morale-boosting victory against the Premier League giants.
LASK coach Thomas Sageder expressed his team's excitement and readiness for the clash in his pre-match press conference.
"It's a great honor for us to play this game tomorrow. After our last away game, we are fit again, regenerated very well, and prepared very well, I think. The team is very motivated and very concentrated. We are very much looking forward to tomorrow's game,” he said.
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Sageder acknowledged the challenge of facing a tactically flexible Liverpool side, stating Liverpool FC portal, "We have a certain procedure before every game; my colleagues analyzed the previous five games [of Liverpool], and then we pick around eight to 10 scenes we are showing the players. But Liverpool are very flexible tactically, so it's very hard to prepare the team against them – that's why we are focused on ourselves."
This encounter marks the first-ever meeting between the two sides, making it an intriguing contest. To provide some background on LASK, the club is based in the Austrian city of Linz and holds the distinction of being the oldest club in the region, founded in 1908.
LASK's glory days include winning the Austrian Bundesliga in the 1964-1965 season, becoming the first club outside of Vienna to achieve this feat. Despite some hardships, including playing in the third tier in 2012, they made a triumphant return to the top division in 2015. Their most notable performance in the Europa League came in 2016 when they reached the knockout stages.
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While many Liverpool supporters may still harbor disappointment over not qualifying for the Champions League, Jürgen Klopp emphasized the importance of making the most of the opportunity in the Europa League.
"I think we all have to make sure that everybody, for the team I'm responsible [for], that we all respect the competition in the right manner and that we respect the opponents in the right manner. Wherever we will go, it will be a massive game for the teams,” he stated as per Liverpool FC portal.
“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."
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Liverpool boasts an impressive streak of results, having secured a result in 16 straight EPL matches, while LASK remains unbeaten in their last six outings. LASK currently occupies the third position on the Austrian Bundesliga table with 14 points, while Liverpool also sits in third place on the EPL table with 13 points.
One intriguing aspect of LASK's performance this season is their balanced team. Seven different players have found the back of the net, with Robert Zulj leading the way with three goals.
On paper, this match appears to be a closely contested one. Liverpool and LASK's statistics for the season are strikingly similar, and both clubs have enjoyed their fair share of victories. Moreover, LASK will have the advantage of playing in front of their home crowd in the newly inaugurated Raiffeisen Arena.
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However, despite the factors that may favor LASK, Liverpool's depth of talent and experience give them the edge. The Reds are expected to emerge victorious with a 2-1 win in a closely fought battle.
Kickoff is scheduled for 22:00 hrs East African time and the match will be broadcast on SuperSport, ensuring fans from around the country can tune in to witness this exciting Europa League clash between Liverpool and LASK.