Europa League: Liverpool come from behind to defeat LASK

Liverpool came from behind to beat LASK Linz as they made a winning start to their Europa League campaign.

LASK midfielder Florian Flecker struck a brilliant opener from the edge of the area on 19 minutes for the Austrians.

Darwin Nunez equalised from the penalty spot after Luis Diaz was fouled, before Diaz himself scored the winner from debutant Ryan Gravenberch’s cross.

Second half substitute Mohamed Salah added a third goal late on for Jurgen Klopp’s side to seal victory.

Klopp made 11 changes to the Liverpool team which started against Wolves in their previous fixture.

The impact of those changes was clearly felt as the Reds endured stumbling first-half display in their first Europa League match since the 2016 final defeat to Sevilla, before an improved performance after the break helped them turn the match around.

It meant Klopp became the first Liverpool manager to win 50 European games.

But he said of the landmark: “Let me say it like this. If I still have 50 after the group stage, then even if I’ve still got the most wins in Europe as a Liverpool manager then everybody will hate that.”

Elsewhere in Group E, Union St-Gilloise and Toulouse drew 1-1, leaving Liverpool two points clear at the top of the standings after the first round of matches.