Liverpool's 6-3 Champions League victory over LASK offered an encouraging glimpse of their attacking potential under Andoni Iraola, but the result also highlighted two tactical problems that could continue to undermine their Premier League ambitions.

Six goals, a first Liverpool hat-trick for Bradley Barcola and another promising performance from Florian Wirtz should have provided an emphatic response to last weekend's 3-0 defeat against Manchester City.

Yet Liverpool's extraordinary evening in Austria also exposed the difficulties Iraola has encountered since taking charge at Anfield during the summer.

The Reds sit ninth in the Premier League after nine matches, having recorded five victories, three draws and one defeat, with 18 goals scored and 12 conceded.

Their European form has been more convincing, but Wednesday's victory underlined the considerable difference between overwhelming an adventurous opponent and consistently breaking down organised Premier League defences.

Liverpool registered 26 shots and generated 3.34 expected goals against LASK, according to Opta, including a remarkable 19 attempts before half time. Those figures demonstrate the attacking threat Iraola's side can produce when space is available.

However, the challenge is reproducing that quality of chance creation against more disciplined opposition while ensuring that the aggressive pressing system does not leave the defence unnecessarily exposed.

Why Liverpool's high press is not always producing quality chances

Iraola's football is built around recovering possession quickly, often through intense pressure high up the pitch, and attacking before opponents can reorganise.

The approach can be devastating when Liverpool force mistakes in advanced areas, but winning the ball back does not automatically create a clear scoring opportunity.

Against compact defensive blocks, opponents can recover their shape before the Reds have moved the ball into dangerous positions. Liverpool then need greater patience, better movement between the lines and more precise decisions in the final third.

This is where Florian Wirtz becomes particularly important.

The Germany international arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m deal to provide the creativity Liverpool needed, but his adaptation to English football has been inconsistent.

At Leverkusen, Wirtz frequently enjoyed the freedom to move between midfield and attack, receiving possession in pockets of space from which he could dictate the tempo or release runners behind the defence.

Under Iraola, that influence has been harder to establish consistently, particularly against opponents capable of matching Liverpool's physical intensity.

Wirtz showed what he can offer against LASK, notably with a perfectly weighted pass that allowed Barcola to score his second goal.

His understanding with the French winger was encouraging, with Barcola's willingness to attack space giving Wirtz a clear target for passes behind the opposition defence.

However, Liverpool cannot depend on opponents leaving the same gaps that LASK offered.

Against deeper defensive lines, Wirtz needs teammates making coordinated movements around him, including a centre-forward capable of occupying defenders and creating space for runners arriving from midfield.

Alexander Isak's recent thigh injury has complicated that process, with the Swedish striker missing the meetings with Manchester City and LASK.

Lewis Koumas has responded impressively, becoming Liverpool's youngest player to score and assist in a Champions League match, but his emergence does not entirely replace the experience and movement that Isak provides.

Iraola must also find ways to prevent Wirtz from becoming isolated between opposing midfielders or dropping so deep that he cannot influence attacks near the penalty area.

The challenge is therefore less about increasing Liverpool's attacking volume than ensuring that their high pressing and possession regularly produce chances of sufficient quality against better-organised opponents.

How Iraola can stop Liverpool's defence being exposed

Liverpool's second problem is more immediately visible in their results.

The Reds have conceded 12 goals in nine Premier League matches, while LASK became the latest opposition side to expose weaknesses in their defensive organisation.

The Austrian outfit managed three goals despite trailing 4-0 early in the second half, with Yvan Dibango providing the assists for all three.

The timing of those goals is significant.

Iraola introduced Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez shortly after the hour mark, replacing his starting centre-backs, but the experienced substitutes struggled to establish control as LASK repeatedly found space around Liverpool's defensive line.

Opta recorded 2.02 expected goals for the hosts, suggesting that their attacking threat was more substantial than three isolated moments of finishing.

The defensive problems cannot all be attributed to Liverpool's high pressing, particularly given the personnel changes during Wednesday's match.

Nevertheless, their vulnerability when opponents escape the initial pressure remains a concern.

Iraola encourages his full-backs to advance and his midfielders to press aggressively, often committing several players towards the ball. When that pressure is bypassed, considerable space can open up between the midfield and the defensive line.

The consequences become particularly dangerous against opponents with the technical quality to play through pressure or the pace to exploit the space behind Liverpool's defenders.

One possible adjustment would involve keeping a midfielder in a more protective position when both full-backs push forward, rather than leaving the centre-backs to defend large areas individually.

Liverpool could also benefit from varying their defensive approach, dropping into a more compact shape during certain periods rather than attempting to win possession immediately after every turnover.

The 3-0 defeat to Manchester City offered another warning, although Ryan Gravenberch's dismissal in the 62nd minute, with the match still goalless, significantly influenced that result.

Injuries have added to Iraola's difficulties, with Conor Bradley unavailable and Dominik Szoboszlai also struggling with a hamstring problem.

The Liverpool manager has left open the possibility of Szoboszlai, Isak and Cody Gakpo returning for Saturday's trip to Brentford, although their availability remains subject to fitness assessments.

Gravenberch, meanwhile, is suspended following his red card against City, further limiting Liverpool's midfield options.

Brentford, who occupy fourth place, should provide a demanding examination of whether Iraola's side can carry their European attacking momentum into domestic competition without reproducing their defensive mistakes.

Liverpool's six-goal display in Austria demonstrated the quality available to their manager. The next stage of their development depends on creating those opportunities more consistently in the Premier League and reducing the space opponents can exploit when possession is lost.