Iraola banks on Barcola to kick on

Andoni Iraola believes Bradley Barcola's hat-trick in Liverpool's 6-3 Champions League win over LASK on Wednesday will herald the start of a dominant spell for the France forward.

Barcola had come under fire for some lackluster performances since his blockbuster 123 million-pound ($161-million) move from Paris Saint-Germain in August.

But, he finally started to live up to his hefty price tag, scoring his first goals for Liverpool in his seventh appearance.

Barcola struck twice before the interval at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, Austria, after Ronald Araujo put Liverpool ahead in the first half with his maiden goal for the club.

After the break, Jeremie Frimpong netted the fourth against the Austrian champion, before Barcola completed his hat-trick.

There was still time for Lewis Koumas to score his first Champions League goal as Liverpool maintained its 100 percent record in this season's tournament after beating Atletico Madrid in its opening game.

"I'm really happy for Bradley, because you were asking me yesterday about him not making the numbers, also Florian (Wirtz)," Iraola told reporters on Wednesday.

"I think both of them today played really well. I think they made a difference. Bradley, apart from the hat-trick, I think he was a threat always — one-v-one, threatening in behind.

"Also Flo helped us a lot to control the game, finding the pockets. I'm happy for both of them.

"I think their confidence, for sure, is very good. I think they feel that we trust them a lot, but, in the end, to enjoy playing in the Champions League away, I think it's going to be very good for them."

Barcola won the Champions League with PSG in each of the last two seasons and arrived at Anfield with high expectations.

Iraola is confident his forward's acclimation to English football will be aided by his goal spree in Austria.

"Obviously, I think he has to enjoy this, because to score a hat-trick in the Champions League is always very difficult," he said.

"Even in training yesterday, I could feel he was very lively, sometimes you feel these things. You never know how he's going to play the next day, but it wasn't a big surprise because we were feeling he was in a good place for the game."

Iraola was also able to rest the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister ahead of their trip to Brentford in the Premier League.

"You have different demands for each game, and you have to try to analyze what players you can rest and what players can perform well against LASK to help us to win the game, then, what players can help us against Brentford," Iraola said.

"But, three days after Brentford, we will play Villarreal, another very difficult Champions League game, and we will need more than 11, more than 12, more than 13."

Clinical finishing

After some disjointed displays at the start of Iraola's reign, this was an indication of what Liverpool can become under the former Bournemouth boss, although he will still be concerned about his side's defensive issues.

Araujo put Liverpool ahead in the 22nd minute, rising highest to meet the corner of Kostas Tsimikas with a thumping header past LASK keeper Lukas Jungwirth.

The Barcelona loanee's goal was swiftly followed by Barcola's first 96 seconds later.

Rio Ngumoha was the catalyst with an incisive run into the LASK area, and Barcola applied a clinical finishing touch as he guided the ball beyond Jungwirth.

Iraola's men were running riot when Barcola scored Liverpool's third in the 37th minute.

It was a riposte to the criticism of Wirtz and Barcola, as the pair combined to cut through the LASK defense.

Barcola picked out Wirtz and the German played a pinpoint return pass that allowed the Frenchman to fire another past Jungwirth.

Frimpong has also frustrated Liverpool fans since his signing last year, making his goal in the 51st minute a welcome tonic for the Dutch right-back.

Increased pressure

It was a welcome boost for Iraola following his first defeat in eight games as Liverpool manager, when Premier League leader Manchester City won 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday.

Iraola this week said he has "100 per cent" trust in Barcola and Wirtz, who has struggled since arriving at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen last year.

Injuries to Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, who all missed the trip to Austria, increased the pressure on Wirtz and Barcola to carry the Liverpool attack.

The pair repaid Iraola's faith with a much-needed display of their undoubted qualities.

Now, Iraola will demand they produce that level of intensity and quality on a regular basis.

The trip to Linz was the second of six games in 18 days for Liverpool, forcing Iraola to make changes in a bid to save his players from burnout.

As well as Reds captain Van Dijk and midfielder Mac Allister, Milos Kerkez and Victor Munoz were also rested, with Frimpong, Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni and Ngumoha called up.