Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat at Union Saint Gilloise in Brussels as Jurgen Klopp made several changes to his starting line-up, giving opportunities to youngsters Ben Doak, Kaide Gordon, Luke Chambers, and Conor Bradley.
Klopp rested his key players ahead of the crucial Premier League showdown with Manchester United on Sunday, with Liverpool already assured of top spot in Group E.
The game proved to be a testing evening for Liverpool’s youthful side, with the only highlight being Jarell Quansah’s first senior goal.
Quansah’s 40th-minute leveller equalled a club record of 34 successive goal-scoring games, putting Liverpool in line for a new landmark if they can score against Manchester United on Sunday.
Klopp’s regular stars, including Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker, were left out of the squad but are expected to return for the United game.
Despite the defeat, Liverpool finished top of Group E, securing their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Union Saint Gilloise’s victory ensured they progressed to the Europa Conference League play-offs.
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The average age of Liverpool’s team was just 21.9 years old, with only Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo considered regular starters.
Wataru Endo, aged 30, was the oldest player in the team.
The hosts, who had lost only one game on home soil this season, started brightly with Noah Sidiki and Koki Machida both going close early on.
