Lewis Koumas has expressed his delight after becoming the first Liverpool player aged 21 or under to score and assist in a Champions League game since Steven Gerrard, following his full debut in the competition.
The 21-year-old striker marked his first Champions League start by netting Liverpool's final goal in a 6-3 win over LASK at the Raiffeisen Arena, having earlier set up the first of Bradley Barcola's hat-trick. Two further efforts were disallowed for marginal offside calls.
Koumas's achievement puts him alongside Gerrard, who accomplished the same feat against Dynamo Kyiv 25 years earlier. When told of the statistic, Koumas responded: "Am I? Is that official? It’s not a bad stat, is it? And it’s not a bad name to be alongside. Wow. What a legend. I just want more of this."
Long-awaited return to scoring
The goal was Koumas's first for Liverpool since scoring on his senior debut in an FA Cup win over Southampton in February 2024. In between, he had loan spells in the Championship with Stoke City, Birmingham City, and Hull City.
He came close to ending that drought earlier in the week when only a good save from Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented him from putting Liverpool ahead, before a 3-0 defeat.
Reflecting on that chance, Koumas said: "I was thinking about the chance all night. I couldn’t really sleep. I feel like I couldn’t have hit it any better. The keeper is huge and he was just in the right place and I think in normal circumstances it goes in."
Youth movement at Liverpool
Koumas was one of four players aged 21 or under to start against Manchester City, alongside fellow Academy graduates Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, and Jeremy Jacquet. It was Liverpool's third-youngest ever Champions League XI and fifth-youngest when including the European Cup.
He praised his young teammates, saying: "There is a buzz and it gives us all a motivation to keep going. We are getting chances but, ultimately, it is because we are good enough. Trey and Rio are unbelievable and, if you are good enough it doesn’t matter how old you are."
With continued doubts over the fitness of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, Koumas is on standby for a third successive start when Liverpool travel to Brentford on Saturday. He remains realistic about his prospects, saying: "You never know when your last game is going to be. I know that sounds like a cliche but it is true. Alex will be back soon training, Cody will be fit soon. But I just have to keep working hard, keep my head and doing what the gaffer asks of me and make it last as long as I can."
