Earlier this week, Lewis Koumas became the second Liverpool player after Steven Gerrard to score and assist for the Reds in the Champions League before the age of 22

Andoni Iraola knew within a couple of training sessions during the summer that he wanted to keep Lewis Koumas at Liverpool this season. So far, the decision appears to be paying off.

As the Reds hammered LASK in the Champions League earlier this week, the Wales international could have scored a hat-trick. He put in a near-complete performance, grabbing a goal that counted after seeing a couple ruled out for narrow offsides.

Liverpool takes on Brentford in the Premier League this weekend, and with doubts over Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo's fitness remaining, Koumas could get another chance to lead the line.

"I think Koumas' enthusiasm is infectious," the former Liverpool and Wales striker Dean Saunders told Betpack.

"You saw on Sunday against Man City that his work rate is top-notch, and those types of strikers running through a brick wall for their team can make everyone else in the team behind them work harder.

"He has plenty of talent, and he uses his body well and plays nicely with his back to goal, drawing fouls from opponents. When you’re a young player, starting up front for the first time in the Premier League, you need things to go right and to prove yourself.

"The only way to prove yourself and to keep your place in the team as a striker is to score lots of goals. It’s a striker's only currency.

"I thought he handled the pressure of starting in such a big game really well, but he has to keep working hard and scoring goals if he wants to lead the line for Liverpool. Lewis has broken his duck now, but he needs to keep chipping away, and eventually more goals will come."

Iraola was very pleased with Koumas, in addition to another couple of young players who started midweek in Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha. They are each now a bona fide part of the first team roster at Anfield, and with few other options in their positions, will all continue to be put into the starting XI.

"I said before, I think Trey, Koumas and Rio have played more and have even played with the national team, but they're still academy players, very young," Iraola said.

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"For the two [Nyoni and Koumas] I think it's the first start in the Champions League. They are first-team players for us. They are first-team players because we trust them and we think they can give us the level to help during the season.

"I'm very happy for their performances. Even Koumas because he has scored two disallowed goals before and you were thinking after the hard work he has put [in], the good game and probably he doesn't score.

"But I was really pleased for him to score a goal and celebrate with the supporters, enjoy a little bit your first Champions League goal. I'm happy for all of them, yes."