Liverpool will look to bounce back from a disappointing weekend when they travel to Austria to face LASK Linz in Wednesday’s Champions League league-phase encounter.The Reds suffered a damaging defeat against Manchester City before the international break, while LASK have seen a promising start to the season fade after a difficult run of domestic and European results.Verdict: Total goals under 3.5Best odds: 9/10Bookmaker: BovadaLASK LinzLASK entered the campaign full of confidence after stringing together seven consecutive victories across all competitions, but momentum has quickly evaporated over the past month.The Austrian side began their Champions League campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to AEK Athens, a frustrating evening in which they failed to recover after conceding from a first-half free kick. Rather than respond positively, Dietmar Kuhbauer’s side have continued to struggle.Defeats against Sturm Graz and Rapid Vienna have extended their winless run to four competitive matches, leaving supporters increasingly concerned ahead of the visit of one of Europe’s biggest clubs.There is little comfort to be found in the historical record either. LASK have never beaten English opposition, drawing once and losing five times in six attempts. Their previous meetings with Liverpool during the 2023-24 Europa League group stage were particularly difficult, ending in 3-1 and 4-0 defeats.Home advantage has not helped against English sides in the past. The Black-Whites have failed to win any of their three home meetings with Premier League opposition, conceding 11 goals along the way.Team NewsInjury concerns further complicate matters. Ramiz Harakate remains sidelined with a knee problem, while Moses Usor is a doubt after suffering a shoulder injury at the weekend.Should Usor fail to recover, Sasa Kalajdzic and Christoph Lang are likely to form the strike partnership, supported by wing-backs Kasper Jorgensen and Yvan Dibango.LiverpoolLiverpool’s season under Andoni Iraola continues to be a work in progress, but there have already been enough encouraging signs to suggest progress is being made.The Reds were heavily beaten 3-0 by Manchester City before the international break, although the scoreline did not tell the full story. Liverpool were competitive for long periods before Ryan Gravenberch’s red card shifted momentum decisively in City’s favour.That setback interrupted a promising run that had included victories in both domestic and European competition. Their Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid was particularly impressive, with Liverpool recovering from a goal down to win 2-1 thanks to strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.The challenge for Iraola now is coping with a growing injury list.Team NewsSzoboszlai is struggling with a hamstring issue, while Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are both doubts because of thigh and ankle problems respectively. Hugo Ekitike remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from an Achilles injury.Those absences could force Liverpool into another reshuffle in attack. Youngster Lewis Koumas may again lead the line, supported by a creative unit that could feature Rio Ngumoha, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola.There is also limited scope for rotation elsewhere, increasing the importance of experienced figures such as Mac Allister and Gravenberch.One area where Liverpool can draw confidence is their strong historical record against Austrian opposition. The Merseysiders have won eight of their previous 10 meetings with clubs from Austria and have never lost a competitive fixture on Austrian soil.Key Factors to ConsiderLASK are winless in their last four competitive matches.The Austrian side lost their Champions League opener against AEK Athens.Liverpool began their league-phase campaign with a comeback victory over Atletico Madrid.The Reds have never lost a competitive match in Austria.Injuries have deprived Liverpool of several important attacking options.LASK have never beaten English opposition.ConclusionLASK’s recent form and historical struggles against English clubs make this a daunting assignment for the Austrian champions.Liverpool are not without their own problems, particularly in attack, but Iraola’s side still possess greater quality throughout the pitch and enough experience to handle a difficult away trip.The hosts may prove competitive, especially in front of their own supporters, but Liverpool should create enough chances to secure a valuable victory and maintain their positive start to the Champions League campaign.Verdict: Total goals under 3.5Best odds: 9/10Bookmaker: BovadaThe post Prediction: LASK Linz vs Liverpool appeared first on SoccerNews.