Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola praised summer signing Bradley Barcola following the winger's stunning hat-trick during Wednesday night's 6-3 Champions League victory over LASK.

The performance provided a perfect bounce-back for the Reds, who had suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester City just days earlier.

Barcola's brilliant display against the Austrian side marked his first goal for Liverpool, leaving his manager impressed with how quickly he has adapted.

"Yeah, I think it's still very early. Especially for him, that hasn't played any minutes in pre-season," Iraola said. "He has been doing the pre-season in the first games with us, almost (in) official games. And it's always remarkable because to score three goals in a Champions League game, not a lot of players can say they've done it. So, it's something nice for him."

The head coach highlighted that Barcola's overall contribution and self-belief were just as impressive as clinical finishing.

"But I think the best thing is that we can feel him. Seem with confidence on the ball; apart from the goals, straight away from the beginning of the game you could feel that he was confident going in one-to-one situations, attacking the spaces, and that's his strength."

Attention now turns back to domestic duties as Liverpool prepare for a Premier League trip to Brentford on Saturday.

The fixture kicks off a gruelling sequence of eight matches across just 25 days, concluding November 8 against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Managing players' fitness will be crucial during this dense schedule. Iraola provided an update on the squad's injury list, specifically regarding Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexander Isak.

"It's early for us to say; we still have two more training sessions," Iraola explained. "Obviously, they were not ready for yesterday night, and we have to wait and see. I think it's still very early, but like the same way I said that they were not available for the previous games, I leave the chance open this time, yes."

With Saturday's clash representing Liverpool's third match in seven days, Iraola will hope Barcola's form and potential returns from injury give his side the momentum needed to navigate this busy period.

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