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LASK
Europa League | Group Stage
Sep 21, 2023 at 5.45pm UK
Raiffeisen Arena
Liverpool logo

LASK
1 - 3
Liverpool

Flecker (14')
Havel (41'), Zulj (44'), Ziereis (55')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Nunez (56' pen.), Diaz (63'), Salah (88')
Konate (40'), Bajcetic (43')

Jurgen Klopp, Mohamed Salah achieve historic feats in Liverpool win over LASK

Klopp, Salah achieve historic feats in Liverpool win over LASK
© Reuters
Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah achieve historic feats as Liverpool come from behind to defeat LASK Linz 3-1 in their Europa League group-stage opener.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and attacker Mohamed Salah both earned slices of history during the Reds' 3-1 Europa League win over LASK Linz.

For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Reds took to the field on a Thursday night for a continental affair, where another second-half comeback saved their bacon in Group E.

A stunning strike from LASK man Florian Flecker propelled the hosts into an early lead, which they clung onto before the break thanks to a magnificent reaction save from Tobias Lawal to keep out Darwin Nunez's header.

However, as they have done against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth and Newcastle United so far this season, Liverpool fought back in style, getting back on level terms in the 56th minute thanks to a Nunez penalty.

Luis Diaz - who won the spot kick - then crashed home from Ryan Gravenberch's cross, before Nunez turned provider for Salah to poke home through the legs of Lawal in the 88th minute.

Liverpool's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring their second goal with Kostas Tsimikas and teammates on September 21, 2023© Reuters

By coming from a goal down to triumph at the Raiffeisen Arena, Liverpool won their 50th European game with Klopp at the helm - a milestone which no Reds manager had previously achieved.

Klopp was able to crack a joke about his record in his post-game press conference, although he also admitted that the stark increase in the number of European games per season was also a big factor.

"Let me say it like this, if I have still 50 after the group stage then I'm still the most successful Liverpool manager [in this regard] and everybody will hate the fact! [It's] nice," the German said.

"We played quite a lot of games in Europe. It's good that we won that many, we qualified frequently for finals so of course we should have won games. It's great but probably it's because in European competition there are just much more games than in the past. I'm pretty sure that's it."

Alongside Klopp's historic evening, Egyptian attacker Salah also etched his name into another chapter of continental folklore, coming up with a landmark 42nd European goal for the Reds in Austria.

Mohamed Salah scores for Liverpool against LASK Linz on September 21, 2023© Reuters

The 31-year-old has now matched Arsenal legend Thierry Henry for the most European goals scored for an English club, and he could break the record when the Reds tackle Union SG in two weeks' time.

Salah - who has scored or assisted in all six games so far this season - was brought off the bench in the second half, as Klopp made a full 11 changes to his starting lineup, including full debuts for Ben Doak and Gravenberch, the latter of whom capped off an impressive display with an assist for Diaz.

Klopp hailed the Dutchman's "super" contribution while also singling out a handful of other starters at the Raiffeisen Arena, adding: "If we would have used Ben Doak a little bit more often, given him the ball, I think he would have got the ball more times on the touchline and passed the ball inside or whatever.

"Stefan [Bajcetic] found a way into the game after a rather difficult start, but we caused him problems obviously with the timing of our passes. Ryan [Gravenberch] played a super game in really difficult circumstances and was really decisive for us.

"Ibou [Konate] could get 80 minutes I think, Stefan could get minutes. So there were so many positives and I am cheeky enough to be really happy about that game."

Liverpool already hold a two-point lead at the top of Group E and return to Premier League action at home to West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.

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Ben Knapton
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