Koumas beats Gerrard record as Liverpool hit LASK for six

Lewis Koumas has gone past Steven Gerrard in the Liverpool record books.

The 21-year-old became the youngest Liverpool player to score and assist in a Champions League game, Europe's top club competition. He did it in a chaotic 6-3 win away to LASK in Austria. BBC

Gerrard had held that record since 2001. Koumas took it in Linz, on a night Liverpool started Koumas and Bradley Barcola together up front.

Barcola scored a hat-trick at the Raiffeisen Arena. Koumas set up one of his goals and scored himself after having two earlier finishes ruled out for offside, for straying beyond the last defender.

It came just three days after Koumas made his first Premier League start. That was against Manchester City, with Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike all injured.

At 0-0 in that game, Barcola played Koumas clean through in front of the Kop. Gianluigi Donnarumma stood tall and saved. City went on to win 3-0, the first defeat of Andoni Iraola's time as Liverpool boss.

Koumas is a Wales international and the son of former Wales midfielder Jason Koumas. He joined Liverpool aged 11 and scored on his first-team debut as an 18-year-old under Jurgen Klopp.

Then came the hard miles. Loan spells at Stoke, Birmingham and Hull followed, and he helped Hull win promotion last season.

This season felt different from the start. Iraola decided in the first week of pre-season that Koumas was part of his plans. He had urged Liverpool not to loan the young forward out again because he was convinced he was ready. The Athletic

The steps have come quickly. Premier League debut at Newcastle. A late appearance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Then man of the match on his first start of the season against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, England's League Cup, when Iraola called his playing style "contagious".

Against LASK, Iraola made four changes from the City defeat. Liverpool flew out, with 19 shots by half-time.

Iraola said afterwards that Koumas "has to enjoy it because he deserves it". Koumas jumped on a video call with his family in Austria after the final whistle. He had done the same straight after the Tottenham game.

What makes this stand out is the timing. A missed chance against City could have weighed heavy. Three days later he was beating a Gerrard record instead.