Will Wright scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League this week and with Lewis Koumas and others impressing under Andoni Iraola, he is eyeing the next step at Liverpool

Bradley Barcola was not the only Liverpool player to score a hat-trick on Wednesday. A few hours earlier, U19s captain Will Wright continued his sparkling form in the UEFA Youth League.

Liverpool won 4-2 against LASK's U19s with Wright scoring three and assisting the other for 15-year-old Luca Eden. Those strikes have taken him to nine goals in eight games so far this term.

Previously, the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott have starred for Liverpool in the Youth League before going on to represent the senior side, while Lewis Koumas is another player who Wright can take inspiration from.

Koumas started alongside Barcola and Florian Wirtz in Austria, netting twice when he was brought back for offside before scoring one that counted — a deserved moment in a strong overall showing.

"Of course, I have to just keep working hard like Lewis has, and some of the other lads like Chambo (Luke Chambers, who also featured against LASK) and James McConnell," Wright told the Liverpool ECHO.

"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."

Wright impressed during the summer when he was handed chances under Iraola. There was loan interest, but he ended up staying put and has so far been a stand-out performer.

"I've picked up some good form at the start of the season and I have to just carry it on," Wright added. "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."

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Liverpool U19s came back from two goals down against LASK and sit ninth in the standings as a result. The top 22 sides in a 36-team table progress into the knockout phase.

Wright could add to his goals tally for the new season when the Reds' U21s take on Reading on Saturday. Their U18s face Leicester earlier the same day.