Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool LIVE: Europa League result and reaction as Quansah scores in defeat
Follow all the result and reaction from Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool in the blog below
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool might have already qualified in top spot for the Europa League knockout stages, but were unable to maintain the winning momentum against Union Saint-Gilloise as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat in Belgium.
Jurgen Klopp’s side did not need anything out of the game, but with an average age of the starting XI of just 22 and a half, the Reds were unable to impose themselves at the same level as USG.
Jarell Quansah wrote his name into the history books with his first club goal, that briefly levelled the tie inside the first half, but USG came back with a second almost immediately.
Despite bringing on the likes of Joe Gomez, Darwin Nunez and Ryan Gravenberch in the second half, Liverpool could not find a second equaliser, and instead it was VAR who overruled a third goal from USG.
USG finished the group in third place and will go into the Europa Conference League play-offs in February.
Follow all the live action in the blog below and get the latest odds and tips here.
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-0 Liverpool
4’ Straight away at the other end there is a break and Liverpool find themselves on the back foot before Kelleher is able to gather.
This has started with quite a lot of energy, and at least for Liverpool, there are a lot of youngsters wanting to make an impression on the manager.
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-0 Liverpool
3’ Liverpool have their first chance, a free kick, but they take it short and Doak’s attempted cross from the touchline is straight at the goalkeeper
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-0 Liverpool
2’ If Liverpool score a goal it will be the 2,000th under Klopp’s management, and could it come from this team of youngsters?
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-0 Liverpool
1’ Liverpool kick off and the match is underway in Belgium
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Liverpool have an average age of just 22 and a half, so it will be a match of reckoning and opportunity for the youngsters.
Endo is the oldest player at 27 years old.
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Liverpool’s youngsters are ready and the match is about to get underway.
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Now just minutes away from kick off, here are some photos of the players warming up:
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Klopp said on Harvey Elliott: “Who wants to be a super sub? But he takes it in a really good way.
“It’s not about when you play, it’s about how you play and what you contribute and Harvey is obviously a really important player for us.
“He starts, he comes on, he is a really important player, the more impact he has, the more he will start, but with the amount of games we have he cannot start all the time.
“He will have his minutes tonight and it will hopefully be a good game.”
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Klopp on making Curtis Jones captain: “He’s the longest in the club - I don’t think a lot about these kind of things to be honest.
“It makes absolute sense that he leads this team and I’m pretty sure he enjoys the role as well, so it’s just a sign - he is maybe eldest of the youngest and still very young himself.
“He has a lot of important games for us already in his legs and he can be a real role model for the kids and I hope he shows that on the pitch.”
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp explained to TNT that the nature of Liverpool having already-qualified allowed him to make the changes.
The Liverpool manager said: “It’s always really important that we can do these kind of things. The main job in the group is done, we qualified for the next time and we have to come here today - and with the amount of games that we have we have to make sure that we find the right line-up for each game and for tonight it is obviously the right opportunity for us.
“It’s a nice mix between experience and real youth and I hope the boys enjoy it and that would be the idea behind (the changes).
“I just want to see the boys are cheeky in moments and show their ability and are ready to work hard as well.”
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