Liverpool can go one step closer to reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League this evening with victory over LASK.
As it stands, the Reds need four points from their remaining two matches to guarantee their passage into the round of 16, however, if Union Saint-Galloise manage to grab all three points against Toulouse, their qualification will be confirmed on matchday five.
Whilst the Thursday night jaunts to rogue destinations have supplied Jurgen Klopp with a busy fixture schedule, it has allowed him to heavily rotate his squad and keep competition for places strong.
The German tactician is expected to make wholesale changes once more to the side that salvaged a draw against Manchester City with Harvey Elliott looking poised to replace Dominik Szoboszlai, who has featured off the bench in all three appearances in the competition.
Dominik Szoboszlai's season in numbers
Liverpool's midfield needed an overhaul after looking devoid of energy and dynamism last term, but since Szoboszlai arrived at the club, he's provided Klopp with those attributes and more.
The Hungarian superstar has impressed across so many aspects, from his ball retention to his press resistance and ability to drive forward, possessing every ingredient in his locker to become a world-class midfielder.
Hailed as "incredible" by Liverpool legend John Barnes while drawing comparisons to Steven Gerrard, such praise has been directed towards the youngster because he can do everything on the pitch and that has been reflected across an array of his attacking and defensive metrics this term.
Appearances
13
Shots per game
1.9
Big chances created
5
Key passes
2.2
Accurate passes per game
51.4 (88%)
Expected Assists (xA)
2.95
Balls recovered per game
7.1
All stats via Sofascore
Szoboszlai's importance to the squad shouldn't be understated, as showcased by the table above, with the 22-year-old supplying the third most key passes in the Liverpool squad (2.2), second most big chances created (5) and the most fouls drawn in the box.
Much like Mohamed Salah, however, his minutes are restricted in this competition and that is a blessing to Elliott, who should get his chance to impress Klopp once more this evening.
Why Elliott should start against LASK
If competition for places in Liverpool's midfield wasn't so high, Elliott would be starting every week and that is a testament to how good he is.
At 20 years old, Elliott is maturing into a sensational footballer and although his performances warrant more first-team action in the Premier League, he's used the Europa League as an opportunity to showcase his talents.
Dubbed by Jamie Carragher as "special", the fleet-footed midfielder has thrived in the pocket of space in the right channel, slaloming in between defenders with his exceptional ball control and low centre of gravity.
Across four matches in the competition, he's completed a whopping 75% of his dribbles, which underscores how difficult he is to tackle when the ball is stuck to his foot like glue.
Whilst he is adept at gliding past his opponents, Elliott is also a menace out of possession, utilising his boundless energy to make two tackles, win possession 1.5 times and recover six balls per game.
If the Europa League is a stage, the England under-21 star – who scored twice in the 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland – has certainly performed with Reds bracing themselves for another exceptional display from the talented youngster this evening.