Liverpool's 6-3 Champions League win at LASK has provided a perfect springboard ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Brentford, according to our Reds Jury.
Summer signing Bradley Barcola scored his first goal for the club in Austria before adding two more, with his hat-trick dominating the headlines after the lively victory. The result leaves Liverpool with two wins from two in the Champions League, and spirits are high heading into the weekend.
Reds Jury React to Thrilling Night in Austria
James Noble described the 6-3 win as an enlivening response to Sunday's defeat to Manchester City, another good step towards league-phase progression in Europe and healthy preparation for Saturday's trip to Brentford.
Noble highlighted the individual performances, particularly Barcola's hat-trick and the style with which he and Florian Wirtz dictated the direction of proceedings in Austria, especially during the first half. While the level of opposition may have provided more favourable conditions than the modern-day Premier League, he said this was still a night that could prove a springboard.
Brentford Trip as a Litmus Test
Noble noted that a trip to Brentford tends to act as one of the season's most compelling litmus tests for many sides. The Reds will have to be ready to answer numerous physical and tactical questions this weekend, but they look well-placed to ask a good range of their own.
Rhys Buchanan said there's no tonic quite like seeing the Reds run riot in Europe, with two quickfire early goals playing out just the way fans would have liked given the stacked fixture list. He took great heart from positives all over the pitch, even though it was only LASK, and was made up to see Lewis Koumas get his goal after two efforts were previously chalked off.
Team Selection Hopes
Buchanan suggested the manager should look to start the same squad against Villarreal at Anfield next week and bring in fresh legs for Saturday's 3pm clash against Brentford. If Liverpool can bag another positive result on the road in the league, then last weekend's bleak affair will be well in the rear view mirror.
