Academy striker Will Wright scored a hat-trick for Liverpool in midweek while Luca Eden has been praised

Wednesday was a notable European occasion for the past, present and future of Liverpool's Academy.

In the Champions League win at LASK in Linz, graduate Lewis Koumas scored on his first start in the competition while Trey Nyoni also made a full debut and Luke Chambers was given his first taste of the tournament from the bench.

And a few hours earlier in the nearby town of Pasching, in-form Will Wright and emerging hopeful Luca Eden both contributed as the Reds under-19s came from behind to earn a remarkable UEFA Youth League win against the same opposition.

Wright's second-half hat-trick and Eden's record-breaking strike saw Liverpool come from 2-0 down shortly after the interval to earn a 4-2 triumph.

The 18-year-old Wright now has nine goals in eight games this season at Academy level, and having been on the first-team bench four times towards the end of last season and part of pre-season preparations under Andoni Iraola, he is using the emergence of Koumas under the new Liverpool boss as inspiration.

"Of course, I have to just keeping working hard like Lewis has, and some of the other lads like Chambo and James McConnell," said Wright.

"They come back and you ask 'what's it like?' and they say everyone works hard. That's the level we have to aim for.

"My motivation is purely to get into the first team, to get in and around training and learn off some of the likes of (Alexander) Isak and Hugo (Ekitike).

"I like a direct striker who likes running in behind, always putting himself about, and I think that summarises me as well. It's the way I was brought up, playing grassroots football on pitches that have rabbit holes in them. You are taught to deal with that circumstance.

"I appreciate the pitches and the facilities I work in because sometimes there can be a click of the fingers and it's away from you."

Asked if his latest goals spree will have caught the attention of Iraola, Wright said: "I hope so. I've picked up some good form at the start of the season and I have to just carry it on.

"It's my first hat-trick for the club. I'm obviously a goalscorer but I want to be a more complete player as well."

What, though, has been the message from Iraola? "Not just to me but the whole (Academy) squad, it's about energy and pressing," said Wright. "Jurgen (Klopp) had that philosophy of pressing at the right moments. The gaffer is the exact same as that, he loves an energetic side.

"For me personally, I remember in pre-season it was a new system and I took a bit of time to adjust to it. But watching the games and speaking to a few of the lads as well, you get to grips with it. It gives you more tools to do well in the first team."

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Liverpool U21s coach Rob Page, who is once again taking charge of the U19 side in the UEFA Youth League this season, has twice named Wright as skipper in the competition.

And he said: "You see Koumas with the first team and the energy he brings to the front line, that's from being brought through the Academy and Will has a similar identity.

"If you add his ability to all that, then you have the makings of a very good player. He leads by example. He does the right thing and he sets the tone in training.

"He's very appealing to the eye, to our gaffer, to managers out there. We have a manager who has come in and has an identity about how he wants to play which suits a lot of the players. And they've seen a pathway there now. Rio, Trey and now Koumas."

Liverpool's third goal to go ahead against LASK was scored by 15-year-old midfielder Eden, who became the youngest goalscorer for the club in the UEFA Youth League having earlier created the opener for Wright to drag the Reds back into the game.

And Page continues to be impressed by the progress being made by the highly-rated youngster.

"We could have taken Luca off and protected him because he was on a booking early on, but sometimes you have to give them those moments to become mature and be resilient," he said.

"He has had to give a mature performance in the second half because he's on a booking. He had to be disciplined with his defending and he grew into the game. His energy late on to press and press again was incredible.

"We wouldn't play him in these games if we didn't think he was capable of doing it. He showed that against Atletico. He is going to grow stronger and stronger from these experiences.

"There is a bright future for him, but we are managing it right and we will expose him to games like this when we need to."