On night of mayhem for Liverpool, Barcola arrives in style

Key points

• Bradley Barcola scored his first career hat-trick as Liverpool beat LASK 6-3 in Linz.
• Liverpool had 19 first-half shots, the most by any team in a Champions League away first half since 2003-04.
• Lewis Koumas became Liverpool's youngest Champions League scorer and assister at 21 years 25 days.

Liverpool won 6-3 at LASK in the Champions League on a night when Bradley Barcola scored his first career hat-trick. The 24-year-old struck twice with his right and left foot before a tap-in after the break, on his 238th appearance for club and country combined.

The victory in Linz ended Liverpool's run after a 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Sunday. Florian Wirtz, who cost £116m, provided an assist, while Barcola, signed for £123m, took the match ball home.

Iraola praises attacking pair

Manager Andoni Iraola said he had trusted his players "100%" before the game. After the win, he said both Wirtz and Barcola played really well and made a difference.

Iraola added that the performance would boost their confidence and that he was happy for both. He said Barcola should enjoy the hat-trick because scoring three in the Champions League is always very difficult.

I think he has to enjoy this [as] to score a hat-trick in the Champions League is always very difficult.

— Andoni Iraola

Dominant first half and debuts

Liverpool raced into a three-goal lead against the Austrian Bundesliga champions. Their 19 first-half shots were the most on record by any team in the first half of a Champions League away match since 2003-04.

Jeremie Frimpong scored and provided two assists, Kostas Tsimikas also had two assists, and Ronald Araujo scored his first goal since joining in the summer. Lewis Koumas, 21, scored and assisted, becoming Liverpool's youngest player to do so in the Champions League at 21 years 25 days, beating Steven Gerrard's mark from 2001.