Preview, team news, h2h, lineups

Liverpool return to Champions League action on Wednesday evening, as they travel to the Raiffeisen-Arena in Linz to take on Austrian giants LASK, in a game where two players of Nigerian origin, who have chosen different international career paths will meet.

Among the names in the Reds’ travelling party is 18-year-old winger of Nigerian and Guadeloupean descent Rio Ngumoha, who has become one of Iraola’s most trusted wide options this season. On the Austrian side, Moses Usor — who made his Super Eagles debut scoring against Madagascar only last month — has been ruled out through injury, leaving LASK without one of their more dynamic forward options.

LASK vs Liverpool: Form guide

Liverpool have posted a mixed but ultimately positive start to the 2026/27 campaign. Andoni Iraola’s side sit ninth in the Premier League after five matches — three wins, one draw, one defeat — and opened their Champions League journey with a Matchday 1 win. Attacking firepower is abundant across the squad, though the Reds have conceded in four of their last five fixtures across all competitions, suggesting a backline that LASK will hope to exploit on the break if they can win possession in dangerous areas.

LASK arrive in poorer shape. Klaus Kuhbauer’s side have lost three of their last five competitive matches, drawing one and managing only a single win — against Blau-Weiss Linz — during that run.

Their record in the Champions League heading into this fixture offers little comfort: nine consecutive defeats in the competition, a streak spanning previous campaign appearances that shows the scale of the task they face. The Austrian side will need to produce one of their best European performances to take anything from this match.

LASK vs Liverpool: Head-to-head record

These two clubs are familiar opponents from the 2023/24 Europa League group stage, where Liverpool won convincingly on both occasions. The first meeting — played in Linz in September 2023 — saw the Reds come from a level position to win 3-1, with LASK briefly competitive before Liverpool’s quality told in the second half. The return at Anfield two months later was more emphatic – a 4-0 Liverpool victory that effectively ended the Austrian club’s participation in that phase of the competition.

LASK managed a single goal across both legs — one from their home game, none at Anfield. A combined 7-1 aggregate leaves minimal statistical encouragement for the home side heading into Wednesday, and the Liverpool squad Andoni Iraola has assembled represents an upgrade in several positions on the 2023/24 model that inflicted those defeats.

Key battles

Rio Ngumoha, Moses Usor — The Nigerian connection

Rio Ngumoha was born in Havering, London, in August 2008, and holds Nigerian nationality through his parents alongside his Guadeloupean heritage. He identifies with his Nigerian side even though he snubbed the Super Eagles. Earlier this year, he even shared a video of himself donning an old Super Eagles jersey.

Rio Chimankpam Ngumoha wears Nigeria’s iconic 1996 jersey.

The 17-year-old Liverpool attacker is eligible to represent England, Nigeria, France, and Guadeloupe https://t.co/gn9rvI4I9K

— PARROT REPORT (@PARROTREPORT) May 15, 2026

The 18-year-old has broken into Liverpool’s senior setup with real conviction registering 29 appearances in 2025/26, including three consecutive Premier League starts before the end of the season, and a senior England debut in June 2026 that brought him three caps for the Three Lions. He is now a recognised first-team option for Iraola rather than a development-track inclusion. Ngumoha enters serious consideration for a wide starting berth alongside Bradley Barcola.

Meanwhile, Moses Usor is a different proposition. The LASK winger joined the club in 2024, and he has become a key player for them, contributing 24 goals and 19 assists in 118 appearances across all competitions. He started his career from Nigeria, so he is well grounded in the country unlike Ngumoha, who was born abroad.

His LASK performances earned him a maiden Super Eagles call-up last month, and he got a dream debut, scoring against Madagascar. And now, he looks like a player who could become a key one for Nigeria in future. But unfortunately, he will not participate in this tie.

Christoph Lang vs Liverpool’s defensive line

If LASK have a player capable of damaging Liverpool on the night, it is Christoph Lang. The Austrian forward has been in outstanding form in the early weeks of the season — five goals from eight appearances, averaging 0.82 per 90 minutes — and his timing of runs in behind a defensive line makes him a credible threat even at this level. He will look to exploit the space behind Virgil van Dijk and Benoît Jacquet as LASK transition quickly from defence.

Van Dijk brings the kind of positional reading that nullifies many forwards before they can receive the ball, while Jacquet provides pace and recovery alongside him. But Liverpool have been caught out on the counter at moments this season, and Lang’s movement is precisely the type of challenge that tests defensive concentration. Keeping him quiet for 90 minutes is one of the Reds’ more important tasks on the night.

Team news

LASK will be without Moses Usor, the Super Eagles winger who scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar in September’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo. Manager Klaus Kuhbauer confirmed Usor has been ruled out with a muscle injury and is “likely not an option” for the match. Fellow winger George Bello is also absent, while Bence Jorgensen and Marko Horvath carry doubts into the matchday squad.

Predicted XI (3-4-3): Jungwirth; Andrade, Mbuyamba, Alemao; Jorgensen, Ljubicic, Bogarde, Dibango; Adeniran, Lang, Horvath.

Liverpool will be without Federico Chiesa, who was omitted from the club’s Champions League squad registration for this campaign. Ryan Gravenberch is eligible and expected to partner Alexis Mac Allister in a double pivot, with Florian Wirtz operating as the creative hub behind the forwards.

Gakpo’s ankle concern is the key selection call — if he is fit, Ngumoha is likely to begin from the bench; if not, the youngster is a strong candidate to start wide. Alexander Isak carries a minor knock but is expected to be available.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araújo, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Muñoz, Wirtz, Barcola; Koumas.