Klopp insists his side are better prepared for Europa League success than 2016

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are in the Europa League to win it and arrive in Linz "to compete, not to give opportunities".

On Thursday, the Reds take on LASK as they return to a competition where their last appearance was the 2016 final, suffering defeat to Sevilla in Klopp's first season in charge.

Since then, Liverpool have won the Champions League and reached two other finals, while also lifting the Premier League, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

As it stands the Europa League is the only major trophy to evade Klopp in his near-eight year tenure at Anfield, and the German is keen to add the missing piece to his honour roll.

"We are here to compete, not to give opportunities," he said.

"My first year I thought the Europa League was a bit too much for us until we got to the final. We had to fly to Russia, played on a frozen pitch in Sion.

"That was a different squad. We were not ready and we came through somehow. I don't think we were exceptional until the quarter-final, semi-final.

"It is a different time, a different team. We are better prepared. We enjoy it more to be here because we had no clue at that time what to expect.

"We have to be motivated and we are excited to play in the Europa League. I didn't watch the Champions League (this week), I didn't miss the anthem."

None of the 2016 final squad remain at Anfield with Joe Gomez - who was 18 at the time but out injured - the only current player to have played in the Europa League for Liverpool.

But while there have been significant alterations to the playing squad this summer, the core of that trophy-winning band remain together and Klopp's side are odds-on favourite to go one better than they did seven years ago.

Sky Sports' Joe Shread:

So after eight