Barcola bags hat-trick as Liverpool thrash LASK 6-3

Liverpool's Bradley Barcola scored his first goals for the club with a hat-trick as they swept aside Champions League newcomers LASK 6-3 on Wednesday, spoiling the Austrian side's first home game in Europe's elite club competition.

Ronald Araujo also opened his Liverpool account, while Jeremie Frimpong headed home and Lewis Koumas scored after twice being denied by the offside flag as Andoni Iraola's side responded emphatically to Sunday's 3-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester City.

That match was City's first since being found guilty of 114 breaches of financial rules and they host two-time defending champions Paris St Germain later on Wednesday.

Barcola's hat-trick offered some welcome relief after a slow start to his Liverpool career, with the French forward facing growing scrutiny following his big-money move.

Iraola will be less satisfied with Liverpool's defensive display after Florian Flecker struck twice in three second-half minutes and Robert Ljubicic also scored for LASK.

Liverpool began their campaign with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid, while LASK suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat by AEK Athens in their opener in September.

Reuters

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