The LASK supporters who made their way from Austria witnessed their team being trounced 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield tonight, but that didn’t stop them from making the most of their visit to Merseyside.

The Reds’ previous two Europa League home games against Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse were characterised by vociferous away support, and the visitors on Thursday night were no exception.

Journalist James Nalton was working at the match, and he captured clips of a deafening and coordinated chant from the travelling support at L4.

The reporter noted how the LASK fans kept one tune going ‘for about ten minutes’, swapping between blocks in a carefully choreographed rendition.

After the Liverpool fans had already vacated the stadium, the away supporters were still singing themselves hoarse, with the main block of fans in the Anfield Road End indulging in a back-and-forth with their team’s support in other parts of the ground.

The Austrians deserve enormous credit for the noise they made before, during and even after the game, with their team’s emphatic defeat not dampening the volume in the slightest.

You can view the LASK fans chanting below, via @JDNalton on X (formerly Twitter):

LASK fans taking in turns by block with this chant. Been going on for about ten minutes. pic.twitter.com/EozaoyMGCl

— James Nalton (@JDNalton) November 30, 2023

Anfield empty apart from LASK fans. More back and forth between those in the away end and the pockets of LASK fans in other areas of the ground. pic.twitter.com/N0mxLWZ8LZ

— James Nalton (@JDNalton) November 30, 2023

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Liverpool have business to complete against LASK in the Europa League tonight, but Virgil van Dijk still found the time to enjoy a lovely moment with some of the match mascots during the Reds’ warm-up.

The club’s official social media channels shared a short clip of the captain – who’s among the substitutes as Jurgen Klopp fields a heavily rotated starting line-up – spending time with a few of the youngsters.

The 32-year-old passed a ball among the lucky mascots as they tried their best to stay as warm as possible during a bitingly cold night at Anfield.

Even with Van Dijk not starting – and hopefully not needing to be called upon if Liverpool can get the job done swiftly – it was still brilliant to see him making time for the kids so close to kick-off.

You can view the clip of Virgil and the mascots below, via @LFC on X (formerly Twitter):

pic.twitter.com/R04jUbPf4H

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 30, 2023

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Theo Squires was intrigued by something he noticed on the Liverpool teamsheet that UEFA have given to journalists at tonight’s Europa League game against LASK.

As expected, Jurgen Klopp has made numerous changes, with only Mo Salah and Kostas Tsimikas retained from last weekend’s draw at Manchester City.

The Greece international will play at left-back, although there appears to be some confusion as to who’ll line up at the other side of the defensive quartet.

In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog (19:10), Squires wrote: “Our UEFA teamsheets have just been handed out, and they have Jarell Quansah at right-back and Joe Gomez in the middle.

“While Quansah can play there, having filled the role at the Academy and made one senior appearance on the flanks as a substitute this season, I suspect they might have got those two the wrong way round tonight.”

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As Squires pointed out, Quansah has occasionally played at right-back while progressing through the academy ranks, and he had a fleeting appearance in that position against Brentford earlier this month (Transfermarkt).

However, Gomez is far more accustomed to playing out wide than the 20-year-old, so we also reckon that the UEFA teamsheet got those two players mixed up.

Perhaps it isn’t an error and Klopp has spotted something which has prompted him to deploy a curious tactical switch, although we doubt that he’d experiment to that degree considering that Liverpool still need more points to ensure their progression in the tournament.

Whatever the case might be, we’ll get our definitive answer when the match begins at 8pm UK time.

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If only Liverpool had beaten Toulouse three weeks ago instead of making a mess of things by losing, tomorrow night’s game against LASK would be a light-hearted kickabout with top spot in our Europa League group already sewn up.

Despite that setback in France, though, the Reds still firmly have their destiny in their own hands and could finish the job against the Austrian outfit at Anfield.

We’ve dissected all the possible permutations from Europa League Group E to determine how Jurgen Klopp’s men can ensure their place in the knockout stages this week, or possibly wrap up first place and duly go straight into the round of 16 in March, thus bypassing February’s play-off phase.

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Firstly, a reminder of the group table as it currently stands (via UEFA.com):

If Liverpool beat LASK…

…and Toulouse beat Union Saint-Gilloise: LFC would be guaranteed a top two finish, but would still need a point away to Union SG to be confirmed as group winners.

…and Toulouse v Union SG is a draw: we’d be confirmed as group winners tomorrow night.

…and Union SG beat Toulouse: we’d be confirmed as group winners tomorrow night.

If Liverpool draw v LASK…

…and Toulouse beat Union SG: LFC would be guaranteed a top two finish, but would need to match or better Toulouse’s result away to LASK on matchday 6 to top the group. If we finish level on points with Toulouse, our superior head-to-head result would give us the edge.

…and Toulouse v Union SG is a draw: we’d be guaranteed top two finish, but would still need a point against Union SG to be confirmed as group winners.

…and Union SG beat Toulouse: we’d be guaranteed top two finish, but would still need a point against Union SG to be confirmed as group winners. Even if LFC, Union and Toulouse all finish on 10 points, the ensuing mini-league of mutual results to determine final group positions would see us finish second at worst.

If Liverpool lose v LASK…

…and Toulouse beat Union SG: LFC would be guaranteed a top two finish unless LASK win by more than two goals at Anfield, thus putting them ahead of us in the head-to-head stakes. We’d still progress regardless if LASK fail to beat Toulouse on matchday 6, although we’d need to better Toulouse’s result v LASK if we’re to top the group, so a draw between those two would be most ideal in that case.

…and Toulouse v Union SG is a draw: we’d be guaranteed a top two finish, as Union couldn’t then finish above us and, with Toulouse and LASK playing each other on matchday 6, only one could then go above us in the final standings. A win in Belgium would still see us top the group, while a point would also be good enough unless Toulouse beat LASK, or LASK win their remaining matches and beat us by more than two goals at Anfield

…and Union SG beat Toulouse: we’d need a point away to Union SG to ensure qualification, although we’d still qualify regardless unless Toulouse beat LASK on matchday 6, or LASK win their remaining matches and beat us by more than two goals at Anfield.

Despite all the mental arithmetic, the equation for Liverpool tomorrow night is simple – win, and our Europa League hopes continue into the spring.

Ideally Union SG can also get something against Toulouse so that top spot is sealed before we go to Belgium in two weeks’ time. With that fixture falling less than 72 hours before we play Manchester United, it’d be a welcome luxury if there were nothing riding on the final European group game from a Reds perspective.

We missed a chance to get the job done in France three weeks ago. Let’s not look that gift horse in the mouth again this week!

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The third and final international break of the autumn gives Liverpool fans a chance to draw breath and take stock of the Reds’ season so far, before the turbo-charge of 10 games in 32 days once club action resumes.

While many of Jurgen Klopp’s squad are jetting off to represent their countries this week, those remaining on Merseyside will have some welcome down-time, which they may put to use by playing games such as those from Vulkan Vegas.

With roughly a third of the campaign boxed off, let’s review how it’s gone for LFC so far across the three competitions in which they’ve played.

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Premier League

Liverpool are in a very healthy position in the Premier League table, sitting just one point behind leaders Manchester City, who they meet next at the Etihad Stadium.

The Reds have 27 points from their first dozen matches, boasting the league’s joint-best defensive record with only 10 goals conceded. That’s 11 points more than we had at the equivalent stage last season, when we were ninth in the table following a 1-2 defeat at home to Leeds.

Six wins out of six at Anfield by an aggregate scoreline of 17-2 have helped to fuel hopes of a prolonged title challenge, but our prospects of being crowned champions are minimal unless we improve upon an away record which has seen us win just two out of six games on the road, and none since mid-September.

City at the Etihad is as tough an assignment as they come, but our three away games in December against Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Burnley must yield the maximum return of nine points if we’re to be serious about topping the table at the end of the season.

Europa League

Gallingly, an opportunity for Liverpool to wrap up top spot in Group E was squandered last Thursday when they deservedly lost 3-2 to Toulouse. However, the Reds are still well on course to make it into the knockout phase without too much drama.

Victory at home to bottom club LASK in our next game on 30 November would ensure progression, and it’d also seal first place if Toulouse fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise the same night. Topping the group is paramount, as it’d send us straight into the round of 16 in March, thus avoiding a play-off tie the previous month.

Liverpool’s destiny is in their own hands. Win their final two games and top spot is theirs, irrespective of what happens elsewhere.

Carabao Cup

Liverpool are the only team in the current Premier League top six remaining in the Carabao Cup, which has suddenly opened up as theoretically our easiest route to a trophy this season.

A home tie against West Ham awaits in the quarter-finals, and one of Chelsea or Newcastle will be knocked out at that stage as they face each other.

Klopp will continue to rotate for this competition, especially amid a hectic December, but a much-changed Reds line-up could still get the better of David Moyes’ side, which’d put a late February trip to Wembley within touching distance.

Liverpool’s season won’t be defined by what they do in the Carabao Cup, but the squad will unquestionably have designs on winning it from here.

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Had things gone Liverpool’s way on Thursday night and they’d booked their passage from the Europa League group stage, the visit of LASK to Anfield at the end of this month could’ve been a low-key affair.

Instead, with the Reds having a point to prove and work to do following their defeat in Toulouse, the Austrians’ visit to Merseyside has taken on greater importance – and the flames may have been stoked further by comments from their coach.

Despite LASK reviving their European campaign with a win over Union Saint-Gilloise, the result in France harmed their prospects of making the knockout rounds, and their manager Thomas Sageder accused Jurgen Klopp of fielding a weakened team two days ago.

Speaking to Sky Sport Austria (via Kicker), the 40-year-old said of his Liverpool counterpart: “What can I say? I’m starting to dislike him, now he’s putting together a squad and here he’s criticising the groundskeeper.”

The latter point was a reference to Klopp’s unhappiness with the playing surface at the Raiffeisen Arena when the Reds won 3-1 there in September, although a subsequent statement from LASK acknowledged ‘a construction defect in the substructure’ which ’causes problems with the drainage’ of the pitch (Volksblatt).

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These comments from Sageder don’t come across well, as it’s Klopp prerogative to field whatever team he wishes for Liverpool’s Europa League fixtures.

Six players who started in Toulouse on Thursday also began the win over LASK two months ago, so it’s not as if our team in France was significantly weaker than the one in Austria. Also, the Reds’ European line-ups have been heavily rotated from domestic action for all four group games so far.

It’s not as if LFC wanted to lose in midweek either, particularly when a win would’ve confirmed us as group winners and enabled us to rest all our established first-team players for the final two matches.

Sageder will certainly have his players fired up to give Liverpool bloody noses at Anfield on 30 November, but his comments might also add to Klopp’s motivation to put the 40-year-old back in his box and fire up his team to get the job done convincingly when the Austrians come to Merseyside.

It could be lively between the two technical areas that night!

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Caoimhin Kelleher has been one of the main beneficiaries of the Europa League this season and the ‘keeper has his eyes on the next round.

Speaking with liverpoolfc.com, the 24-year-old said: ‘Yeah, I think the main objective was always qualifying first from the group. So, I think if we can do that as early as we can, then we’ll be happy. We’re preparing for a win and we want to get the win.

Speaking about his hopes for the rest of the competition, he added: ‘Exactly. Like we always do, our main aim is to win any competition we’re in. But we have to take that step by step and we’ve taken this competition very seriously from the start. So I think we’ll just look to continue it and hopefully wrap up qualification by the end of this game’.

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Although we all would prefer to have qualified for the Champions League this season, it’s been somewhat of a blessing in disguise to be in the second tier of European competition.

The ability to rotate the side means that we are not forced to play our best team for every minute of every game.

This has meant whenever there have been any injuries or suspensions to cover, we’ve had able replacements who already have minutes under their belts.

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As well as this, it’s kept competition high and in Ryan Gravenberch we’ve seen a player who started as a rotation option but is now starting Premier League games.

The chance for Jurgen Klopp to be able to make all his players happy, whilst keeping a winning team on the pitch – is great.

Now it’s over to the Irishman to keep taking his chances and although replacing Alisson Becker is all but impossible, being ready to perform when called upon is easier with the more time you’re on the pitch.

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While Liverpool have had the occasional stumble in their Premier League season so far, their Europa League campaign has so far progressed flawlessly, with the Reds sitting pretty on top of Group E with a maximum haul of nine points.

Jurgen Klopp’s side put their 100% record on the line once more when they face Toulouse in France on Thursday evening, hoping for an outcome similar to the 5-1 thrashing they administered to the Ligue 1 club at Anfield a fortnight ago.

As the group stage of the competition moves beyond the halfway point this week, the first few places in the knockout rounds could potentially be secured, with other clubs possibly having their fate sealed for the worse.

Ahead of Liverpool’s fourth Group E clash, let’s look at the table so far and talk through the various permutations at play for the Reds at this juncture.

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Are Liverpool guaranteed to progress to the next round of the Europa League?

Right now, the Reds still have a little bit of work to do to make sure of reaching the knockout rounds of the competition. However, any positive result against Toulouse on Thursday would almost certainly guarantee their place in the round of 32 at least.

The only thing we know for certain at this point is that Klopp’s side will have European football of some description in the spring, as they can’t finish bottom of this group.

The only way LASK can finish ahead of us is for them to win their three remaining matches and us to lose all of ours. Even then, they’d have to beat us by two goals or more, with head-to-head results the first separator of teams who finish level on points, and Liverpool winning 3-1 in Austria in September.

In the unlikely scenario of LASK managing to leapfrog us in the final group table, we still wouldn’t end up bottom. Either Toulouse or Union Saint-Gilloise could also finish ahead of us, but not both.

Should they both beat us but lose to the Austrian outfit, they’d have seven points each, but they also play each other again, which’d mean that they draw and both finish on eight points (in which case we qualify no matter what), or one loses and ends up with seven.

If Liverpool were to finish third in the group, they’d then drop down to the Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs in February.

Could Liverpool lose all their matches and still progress in the Europa League?

Surprisingly, yes.

Let’s say LASK and Union draw this week, leaving them with one and five points respectively. The former would then be unable to catch us, even if they beat us at Anfield.

If Union were then to suffer defeat in Toulouse on matchday five, but still beat the Reds in Belgium next month, they’d finish on eight points, one fewer than Klopp’s side.

Would a draw be enough for Liverpool to qualify from their Europa League group this week?

It almost certainly would, and it definitely would if Union fail to beat LASK in Austria.

A draw for Liverpool on Thursday would leave us five points ahead of Toulouse, who’d then have to win both their remaining matches (and we’d have to lose our final two) to go above us. One of those games is against Union, and should the French side win that, the Belgians would no longer be able to catch us if they fail to beat LASK.

The only way in which a draw for the Reds wouldn’t confirm their progression is if Union were to win and move to seven points, Toulouse win their final two games and we lose both of ours (even then Union would have to beat us by three goals or more in Belgium after our 2-0 win at Anfield).

Does a win in Toulouse guarantee Liverpool’s place in the Europa League knockout rounds and can they be confirmed as group winners this week?

The answer to both questions is yes. A Liverpool win on Thursday makes it impossible for both Toulouse and LASK to catch us, no matter what else happens.

If we win in France, and Union fail to beat LASK in Austria, we’d be either seven or eight points clear at the top of the group with two games to spare, and duly confirmed as winners of Group E. That’d be significant as it’d mean we bypass the play-off round in February and go straight into the round of 16 in March.

Aside from easing possible fixture congestion in February (when we could potentially be in the Carabao Cup final and would duly have our Premier League match at home to Luton rescheduled), it’d also give Klopp the luxury of resting his players for the final two group games against LASK and Union in the knowledge that top spot has been secured.

With Liverpool already set to play 10 times in 32 days from the end of the November international break to Boxing Day, the opportunity to rest key players for European games of no consequence would be extremely welcome.

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Joe Cole has said that only by winning the Europa League would Liverpool be able to constitute their run in the competition a success.

The Reds maintained their 100% record in Group E by thrashing Toulouse 5-1 at Anfield on Thursday night, and they could even guarantee first place with two matches to spare if they win the reverse fixture in two week’s time and Union Saint-Gilloise fail to beat LASK away.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are many people’s favourites to lift the trophy in Dublin next May, even with eight clubs due to drop down from the Champions League in the New Year.

Speaking on TNT Sports after tonight’s match, Cole insisted that it’s win or bust for Liverpool when it comes to the Europa League.

The former Reds winger said: “They dominated from start to finish. Toulouse, I can’t fault their tactical gameplan, but like Eni [Aluko, fellow pundit] said, I think Liverpool are in the wrong competition. If they were in the Champions League we’d be looking at them [and] thinking they could go all the way.

“They have to win this Europa League. Anything other than winning it is not good enough for this group of players because of how talented they are.”

It was less than 18 months ago that Liverpool played in the Champions League final, so they absolutely should be targeting Europa League glory this season.

We’re definitely good enough to win it out among the 32 teams who are currently in the competition. Let’s just hope a certain club named Sevilla don’t drop down into it for the knockout rounds!

You can view Cole’s comments below, via @footballontnt on Twitter/X:

"Liverpool are in the wrong competition!"

Joe Cole reflects on another dominant performance from the Reds in the Europa League #UEL pic.twitter.com/5nOfXxifHP

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 26, 2023

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It’s fair to say that the Toulouse fans at Anfield on Thursday night will have left an impression on their Liverpool counterparts who go to every match at the venue.

Long before kick-off in tonight’s Europa League clash, the visiting supporters were hugely boisterous, determined to enjoy every minute of their first visit to Merseyside since 2007.

They had an equalising goal from Thijs Dallinga to cheer during the first half, and even with the Reds building a 3-1 lead by half-time, the French fans’ spirits weren’t dampened in the slightest.

Indeed, as shown in a photo shared to social media by BBC journalist Chris Coughlin, some Toulouse supporters literally ignited their own pyrotechnic display in the opening minutes of the second half.

They’re certainly set to be among the more memorable sets of visiting fans to Anfield long after this match has been consigned to the record books!

You can view the photo of the Toulouse fans below, via @_ChrisCoughlin on Twitter/X:

Toulouse fans putting on a light show in the Anfield Road end this evening #UEL pic.twitter.com/vHjYSr2l5d

— Chris Coughlin (@_ChrisCoughlin) October 26, 2023

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Darwin Nunez repaid Jurgen Klopp’s faith in putting him in the starting XI by scoring Liverpool’s third goal during a very lively first half at Anfield.

While the Uruguayan provided the finish, plenty of credit must also go to Ryan Gravenberch, who set off on a scintillating mazy run from the middle of the park right to the edge of the penalty area.

The 21-year-old laid it off to Curtis Jones, whose shot was blocked but the ball fell kindly for the Reds’ number 9, who lashed it home with conviction to make it 3-1 to the home side just after the half-hour mark.

It was a finish which shows that Nunez absolutely means business this season, and what about that brilliant build-up slalom from the flying Dutchman!

You can view Nunez’s goal below, taken from RMC Sports’ match coverage and shared via @smartballw on Twitter/X:

pic.twitter.com/IWQre28qKT

— smartballw (@smartballw) October 26, 2023

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Liverpool got off to a fast start in tonight’s Europa League clash against Toulouse at Anfield, with Diogo Jota putting us 1-0 ahead inside the first nine minutes.

It was a sublime goal from the Portuguese attacker, too, as he received the ball on the half-turn with his back to goal, swivelled to accelerate towards the visitors’ penalty area and evaded the attention of multiple opponents.

He jinked past two defenders before firing to the net, briefly silencing the boisterous travelling support.

A perfect start for the Reds – now to build on it!

You can view Jota’s goal below, via @footballontnt on Twitter/X:

NOBODY WAS STOPPING DIOGO JOTA #UEL pic.twitter.com/qM4WYzAtk7

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 26, 2023

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Jurgen Klopp has shared an eight-word hint regarding his prospective team selection for Liverpool’s Europa League clash against Toulouse on Thursday night.

The Reds have a 100% record in the group stage so far despite using the tournament as an opportunity to field drastically altered line-ups, with 11 and nine changes in personnel for the LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise games respectively from the preceding Premier League matches.

It’s duly expected that the starting XI tomorrow will look decidedly different from the Merseyside derby last weekend, and the manager has given an early clue in Wednesday afternoon’s pre-match press conference.

When asked about the likelihood of a much-changed line-up against Toulouse, Klopp replied (via Liverpool Echo): “We will make some changes – not too many”.

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With five days (and a few hours) between the Everton and Toulouse matches, those who started last weekend should be relatively fresh for tomorrow night, but games against Nottingham Forest (Sunday) and Bournemouth (Wednesday) will surely see Klopp try to utilise his squad as widely as possible.

Caoimhin Kelleher will likely come in for Alisson Becker, having missed the Union SG game due to injury, while Jarell Quansah and/or Joel Matip could be deployed in central defence.

Curtis Jones is still suspended in the Premier League so he seems very likely to start, while Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo may also be pushing for inclusion.

Having only been a substitute in the Merseyside derby, Darwin Nunez could be selected to lead the line tomorrow night, even with Cody Gakpo available once more following his recent knee injury.

If Klopp seeks to fully explore his squad depth, there could even be an appearance at left-back for Luke Chambers, should the manager opt to rest Kostas Tsimikas amid the absence of Andy Robertson, whose surgery on a shoulder injury has thankfully gone well.

We can again expect to see a much-changed Liverpool line-up for the Europa League, but the number and identity of the changes could be harder to predict correctly. In any case, we trust that the boss will go with the team he feels is strong enough to preserve our perfect start to the group stage.

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Toulouse stand in the way of Liverpool reaching the halfway point of the Europa League group stage with a 100% record, with the two teams facing off at Anfield on Thursday night.

The Coupe de France holders currently sit second in Group E, having collected four points from their first two matches, so they too hold a strong position ahead of the sides’ double header over the next fortnight.

They owe their participation in the tournament to their domestic cup triumph, having only finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season, but so far they’re making the most of their spell in Europe.

They go to Anfield 10th in the league, so it looks like they’ll be in the mid-table environs again this term, but Carles Martínez’s men will undoubtedly be determined to leave Liverpool with bloody noses.

Ahead of that clash, we’ve highlighted some of the key players of whom Jurgen Klopp will need to be wary tomorrow night, along with some additional info on Toulouse.

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Key players for Toulouse

Thijs Dallinga

The Dutch centre-forward is their joint-top scorer so far this season, having netted three times and provided two assists, all of which have come in his last six matches, including both of their Europa League games (Transfermarkt).

The 23-year-old has averaged 2.5 shots per match in Europe, by far the highest average in the Toulouse squad, while the 6 foot striker also offers a threat in the air, winning 1.9 aerial duels per Ligue 1 game (third-highest at the club, as per WhoScored).

Niklas Schmidt

The German midfielder, who joined from Werder Bremen in August, has settled in quickly at his new club. Typically alternating between a central and attacking midfield position, he’s netted once so far this term and offers an effective link between the final thirds of the pitch.

He boasts their second-highest match average in Ligue 1 both for key passes (one) and tackles made (1.9), while he’s won more tackles in their European campaign (seven) than anyone else (WhoScored), proving very adept at winning the ball and using it to good effect.

Rasmus Nicolaisen

Standing at 6 foot 3, the Danish centre-back is an imposing presence at the heart of the Toulouse defence, and he’s currently their best-performing player this season according to WhoScored with a fine 7.49 rating.

Unsurprisingly given his height, he’s a colossus in the air, winning 2.6 headers per game in Ligue 1 and already conquering 10 aerial duels in Europe. He’s excellent at averting danger, too, with 12 clearances across their first couple of group matches. The 26-year-old fits the billing of no-nonsense centre-half.

Toulouse form guide for 2023/24

Toulouse travel to Anfield unbeaten in four matches in all competitions, having secured decent draws against Brest and Reims – who both currently occupy places in the top six of Ligue 1 – in their most recent outings.

Martínez’s side have turned a corner after a slow start to the season, going six matches without a win following their opening day defeat of Nantes, the team they beat in last season’s Coupe de France final.

That win at the Stade de la Beaujoire on 13 August remains their most recent away triumph, though, with their subsequent five games on the road resulting in three draws and two defeats.

They’ve been middle of the road so far this term, sitting 10th in the 18-team table, scoring 11 goals while conceding 10 in the league and drawing five of their nine top-flight matches while winning and losing two each.

Toulouse in Europe

Toulouse are playing in European competition for just the fifth time this season, and the first in 14 years, so their history on the continent is relatively minor.

They reached the UEFA Cup in consecutive seasons in 1986/87 and 1987/88, being eliminated in the second round on both occasions, and then had to wait two decades before returning to Europe.

When they did, Liverpool provided the opposition in the play-off round for the 2007/08 Champions League. Andriy Voronin’s goal in France gave the Reds a lead to take back to Anfield, where Rafa Benitez’s side cruised to a 4-0 win to take their place in the group stage.

Toulouse duly dropped into the UEFA Cup but finished bottom of their five-team group, beating Spartak Moscow but losing their other three games.

They returned two seasons later for the inaugural Europa League, beating Trabzonspor in a play-off to reach the group phase. Despite beating Partizan Belgrade home and away, they took just one point from their other four matches and bowed out with a third-place finish.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Liverpool had to withstand a very nervy second half before Diogo Jota settled tonight’s Europa League clash against Union Saint-Gilloise with a tidy finish in stoppage time.

The Reds’ 1-0 lead looked very precarious for much of the night as the Belgian visitors stayed in the game, but a classic counterattack finally soothed the nerves of the home crowd.

The hosts burst clear from their own penalty area, with Luis Diaz slipping in the Portuguese attacker, who shrugged off the attentions of a Union SG defender before calmly slotting the ball to the net to secure the points.

Feel the relief when that goal went in!

You can view Jota’s goal below, via @footballontnt on Twitter/X:

Diogo Jota surely seals it for Liverpool! #UEL pic.twitter.com/6nZtbPhqSo

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 5, 2023

The post (Video) Diogo Jota caps Liverpool breakaway with cool finish to secure victory for the Reds appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.