Liverpool have learned their Europa League group stage opponents as they target success in their first appearance in the competition since 2015/16, when they were beaten finalists.
Plucked from Pot 1 into Group E, the Reds will take on two clubs they have never previously faced and another they have only squared off with on two previous occasions.
Toulouse, Union Saint-Gilloise and LASK will all be dreaming of securing wins at Anfield on Thursday nights to come, though historically Jurgen Klopp's side have a very strong record against sides from Belgium and Austria, less so France.
Here's what we know about Liverpool's head-to-head records against their upcoming opponents.
Liverpool record vs 2023/24 Europa League group stage opponents
Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Toulouse | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Toulouse
Toulouse are the only side in Group E Liverpool have faced in previous official competitions. Their clashes with Union Saint-Gilloise and LASK will be truly historic as inaugural meetings.
When the Reds met Toulouse, it was in the third qualifying round for the 2007/08 Champions League. They won the first leg in the south of France thanks to Andriy Voronin's strike and a 4-0 win on home soil that featured efforts from Peter Crouch and Sami Hyypia and a Dirk Kuyt double sealed their progression to the group stage.
Liverpool reached the semi-finals of the Champions League that season, where they eliminated by Chelsea after extra time.
Union Saint-Gilloise
Union Saint Gilloise, a partner club to Brighton thanks to Tony Bloom's investment, have only ever faced one English side previously. Well played if you guessed Birmingham City.
City would finish runners up to Barcelona in the 1958/60 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup but not before smashing USG 8-4 on aggregate in the semi-finals with two 4-2 victories.
LASK
Austrian outfit LASK have faced English opposition a little more recently. They were on the end of a 7-1 hammering to Manchester United across two legs in the 2019/20 Europa League last 16 before facing Tottenham in the group stages a year later.
Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min scored either side of an Andres Andrade own goal in a home Tottenham win but the return fixture ended 3-3 as Mamoudou Karamoko grabbed a late equaliser. Gareth Bale, Son and Dele Alli scored for Spurs.
Liverpool's H2H record vs Austrian teams
Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RB Salzburg | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
FC Tirol | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Austria Vienna | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Grazer AK | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Liverpool's history with Austrian sides goes back to 1984/85 when they met Austria Vienna in the quarter-finals.
After a 1-1 draw at Gerhard Hanappi Stadion which Liverpool only drew thanks to a late Steve Nicol equaliser, the Reds were far too strong in the return fixture as Paul Walsh scored twice in a 4-1 Anfield victory. Liverpool would reach the final that year, though their 1-0 loss to Juventus was overshadowed by the Heysel Stadium disaster that saw 39 people die and English clubs banned from European football for five years.
A Salzburg side that featured stars of the future like Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai more than played their part in a 4-3 defeat on Merseyside in 2019/20, though the Reds were two good at the Red Bull Arena Salzburg as Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita earned them a 2-0 win.
Liverpool's H2H record vs Belgian teams
Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Anderlecht | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Standard Liege | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Genk | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Club Brugge | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Liverpool's record against Belgian clubs is even more domineering, having only ever lost one game. That defeat came against Anderlecht in the first leg of their 1978 European Super Cup tie.
The two teams traded home wins but Anderlecht's 3-1 triumph meant they won 4-3 on aggregate to follow up their previous European Cup Winners' Cup success.
Genk were also paired with Liverpool and Salzburg in the 2019/20 Champions League as Klopp's side earned two straightforward wins, while Club Brugge were their European Cup final opponents in 1978. Kenny Dalglish's 64th-minute finish proved enough for Liverpool to win their second consecutive European Cup as they became the first British side to retain the trophy.
When are the 2023/24 Europa League group stage matchdays?
Matchday | Date |
|---|---|
Matchday one | 21 September 2023 |
Matchday two | 5 October 2023 |
Matchday three | 26 October 2023 |
Matchday four | 9 November 2023 |
Matchday five | 30 November 2023 |
Matchday six | 14 December 2023 |
