Liverpool’s youngsters fall short and fail to ruin Union Saint-Gilloise party

Dropping into the Europa Conference League playoffs can never have felt this good before. Forget the names on the Liverpool teamsheet, Union Saint-Gilloise still considered Jürgen Klopp’s raw side a monumental scalp and celebrated victory as though they had won, not exited, the Europa League. Liverpool rarely threatened to upset the Belgium club’s party.

Union players leapt high, punched the air and danced in front of their jubilant supporters following a deserved win against an unrecognisable Liverpool, in terms of faces and performance.

The group finale may have presented Liverpool with an opportunity to rest weary limbs amid a hectic schedule but there was plenty at stake for Union. The hosts, who play their European fixtures at Anderlecht’s ground because their own stadium does not meet Uefa requirements, needed to win and Toulouse to lose to LASK to have any chance of staying in the competition. That incentive sparked a fiercely committed, positive approach from the Belgian side and a vibrant atmosphere inside their European ‘home’. Toulouse’s victory did not dampen the post-match celebrations.

With the group already won and Manchester United to come on Sunday, Klopp gave Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold the night off and the likes of Ben Doak, the fit-again Kaide Gordon and young full-backs Conor Bradley and Luke Chambers a chance to impress. A starting XI with an average age of 22 years and 156 days was the youngest Liverpool have fielded in a European game. But there was also the insurance of experience in Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Cody Gakpo and Ibrahima Konaté.

Even allowing for the young, makeshift nature of Liverpool’s defence, the number of times they were exposed down both flanks or struggled to stop Union raids down the centre illustrated the importance of Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold to a functioning Klopp team. Konaté also toiled in their absence for the 45 minutes he was on the pitch while the front three were starved of quality service from the back.

Union’s encouraging approach work was often undermined by a poor final ball but their threat improved as the first half wore on. Caoimhín Kelleher produced a fingertip save to deny Mohamed Amoura from a tight angle after the home side’s standout player was released into space on the left. Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper also blocked Gustaf Nilsson’s shot when the towering forward broke clear on the right.

The two forwards combined to expose the Liverpool defence yet again when Jones was dispossessed just inside the Union half. This time there was no reprieve from Kelleher. Amoura charged down on the Liverpool goal and enjoyed a slice of fortune when rounding the Republic of Ireland keeper. Kelleher got a hand to the ball but could only flick it against Amoura’s shins, leaving him to open the scoring into an unguarded net. The goal stood following a VAR check for offside against the goalscorer.

Liverpool, having created nothing at that point, were soon level from a set-piece. Jones’s corner landed at the feet of Jarell Quansah, left unmarked on the penalty spot by Nilsson. The young defender swept an excellent finish past Anthony Moris before the striker could close him down. Quansah’s first Liverpool goal ensured Klopp’s team equalled a club record of scoring in 34 consecutive games in all competitions, a sequence stretching back to April. United stand in the way of a record on Sunday.

Liverpool were not on level terms for long. Amoura again caused problems on the left before finding Cameron Puertas breaking from midfield. Puertas took the shot first time from the edge of the area and found a gap just inside Kelleher’s near post perfectly. The connection was clean, but the goalkeeper could have done better.

Another precise finish from Puertas appeared to have made the game safe for Union in the second half but the goal was disallowed following a pitchside review for a handball by Lazare Amani in the buildup. Nilsson squandered a free header from Loïc Lapoussin’s cross as Liverpool continued to defend erratically. The visitors did threaten a second equaliser in the closing stages but Moris saved well from Harvey Elliott as Union held firm.