Liverpool teenage midfielder Trey Nyoni speaks after his first Champions League start and his plans for the season

A first Champions League start would usually prompt at least a flutter of butterflies in the stomach of even the most seasoned professional. For Liverpool teenager Trey Nyoni, though, it's just part of the grand scheme.

"I don’t feel nervous at all," he said after impressing in Wednesday's 6-3 romp at LASK. "I don’t get nervous. With all the hard work I have put in to get to this moment and position, no.

"I just want to show the manager and everyone what I can do, show the fans what I can do. I feel like in games like today, people have travelled a long way to see us play so I want to give them something back.

"I feel good, I am buzzing. It was a good win but obviously I am disappointed to concede three goals. We had so much good attacking play and we need to keep going now.

"Honestly, nights like this are something I have always dreamt of. Now, I just have to keep going and going."

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Nyoni is no stranger to European landmarks, having become the youngest player to play in overseas competition for Liverpool when he came off the bench in the Champions League defeat at PSV Eindhoven in January 2025 aged just 17.

Now 19, the midfielder was an impressive performer alongside Ryan Gravenberch at the base of the engine room in Austria in midweek. Despite being substituted with six minutes remaining, Nyoni had the most attempted passes in the game with 90 of which he had a success rate of 92%.

Only Kostas Tsimikas, who lasted the full game, had more touches while nobody won more aerial duels for the visitors than the youngster.

With Gravenberch suspended and doubts over the fitness of Dominik Szoboszlai, Nyoni is now pressing hard for a first Premier League start in the trip to Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

And having now already featured in six of Liverpool's nine games this season under new head coach Andoni Iraola, the teenager is strengthening his position as a first-team squad regular.

"The manager has given me a lot of trust," he said. "He has given me so much responsibility. Ever since he came in, he has tried to make my life easy.

"He is helping a lot and helping me adapt to a new position I am playing right now. I still have a lot of work to keep improving but right now I feel good.

"He wants me to get on the ball as much as possible and always look to play forwards. That’s the biggest message. Obviously, to just try to press high. With our press, everyone has their different roles and responsibilities."

And when asked if there was any particular player on whom he styles his game, Nyoni instantly turned to a former Liverpool midfielder.

"For me, I always watch players like Thiago," he said. "For me, Thiago, yeah, he is the guy! Have I met him yet? No."

Should Nyoni continue his progress, that encounter may now only be a matter of time.