Seven games into his Liverpool career, Bradley Barcola had not scored or set up a single goal. In Linz on Wednesday he made up for it in one go. The Frenchman hit a hat-trick, his first three goals for the club, as Liverpool beat LASK 6-3 in a Champions League game that was far wilder than the scoreline suggests it needed to be.
A header, then Barcola arrives
Liverpool got in front in the first half when Ronald Araujo, playing at centre-back with Virgil van Dijk rested, rose to head in Kostas Tsimikas's corner. It was the Uruguayan's first goal for the club. Two minutes later the night belonged to Barcola. Rio Ngumoha made a lovely run down the right, Lewis Koumas picked up the ball and slid it across, and Barcola finished with his right foot. That one ended a wait that had followed him since the summer move from PSG, a fee reported by the BBC at £123m.
He was not finished before the break either. Just before half-time Florian Wirtz played him through and Barcola took the chance calmly to make it 3-0. It was a good understanding between two of the club's big summer signings, and a reminder of why Liverpool spent what they did.
Frimpong, Koumas and a late LASK rally
After the interval Jeremie Frimpong, starting at right-back, nodded in another Tsimikas cross for the fourth. LASK pulled one back through Robert Ljubicic, but within three minutes Barcola had his third, getting on the end of a Frimpong ball. Koumas then added his own goal, again with Frimpong creating it, to make it 6-1.
The last stretch was untidy. Florian Flecker scored twice in quick succession for the hosts and suddenly it was 6-3. Alisson, who had not made a save in the first half, was beaten three times after the break, and the clean sheet that looked a formality was gone. It dented the evening only a little.
What it means for Iraola
Andoni Iraola made four changes from Sunday's defeat at Manchester City and the reshuffle worked. Tsimikas wore the armband and finished with two assists, Frimpong also had two, and Ryan Gravenberch played the full ninety minutes knowing he is suspended for Saturday. Liverpool have now won both of their Champions League games so far.
Next up is a trip to Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, then Villarreal at Anfield next Tuesday. If Barcola carries this form into west London, the slow start will be forgotten quickly.
Match facts: LASK 3-6 Liverpool, Champions League league phase, Raiffeisen Arena, Linz. Liverpool scorers: Araujo (first half, from a Tsimikas corner), Barcola (two minutes later), Barcola (just before half-time), Frimpong (after the break), Barcola (three minutes after Ljubicic's goal), Koumas. LASK scorers: Ljubicic, Flecker (two, in quick succession late on). Source: BBC Sport.
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