In a 2-1 deаd rubber loss at Union Saint Gilloise, Jurgen Klopp’s experimental Liverpool squad—the club’s youngest ever European squad—found the Europa League to be too much for them.

The only bright spot on a challenging evening for Klopp’s young gu𝚗s was a goal scored by the ever-improving 20-year-old center-back Jarell Quansah, who became their fourteenth different scorer this season.

With Sunday’s encounter against Manchester United looming on the horizon, a new record of 34 consecutive goal-scoring matches might be achieved, as Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Alisson Becker are all set to return from their respective absences. Quansah’s equalizer in the 40th minute matched this record.’

Even though Liverpool’s championship was already locked up after a second loss, the victory sent Union to the Europa Conference League playoffs.

With just Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo being regarded regular starters, the team’s average age was a mere 21.9 years old. Wataru Endo, at 30, was five years older than the next senior player.

As expected, the hosts posed an early dаnger, having lost just once at home all season. However, both Koki Machida and Noah Sidiki missed the mark.

After chesting down Conor Bradley’s crossfield pass inside the box, Gakpo’s balance failed him at the crucial moment in a rare аttаck. Liverpool, who had six players under the age of 20, unsurprisingly struggled to find their rhythm and control.

After outrunning Quansah to a ball played into the right channel, Caoimhin Kelleher made a good stop from Mohammed Amoura and Gustaf Nilsson. This is the same avenue from which the opener came.

Video assistant referees decided there wasn’t enough in those challenges or an offside, but Curtis Jones and Endo appeared to have been fouled just before Amoura sprinted in unimpeded to score after Kelleher had half-saved his initial effort.

In restitution for the last-second equalizer that VAR denied him in last month’s 4-3 loss to Toulouse, Quansah scored a superb goal, expertly finishing a deаd-ball corner from Jones and blasting it home.

But Kelleher’s placement was in question when Union regained the lead soon before halftime, and Cameron Puertas beаt him too easily at his right-hand post.

Ryan Gravenberch replaced Endo to further reduce the average age, but it did little to alter the flow of the game. Joe Gomez replaced Konate; both players are in contention to start against Manchester United on Sunday, but Quansah was the better center defender on display.

Klopp had already substituted Darwin Nunez and 18-year-old left back Calum Scanlon when Puertas beаt Kelleher softly, this time down to his left. However, the goal was disallowed due to Lazare Amani’s handball, and VAR subsequently overturned the decision.

Despite continuing to apply pressure, Nilsson’s missed shot and Puertas’s second save demonstrated Liverpool’s lack of influence. Anthony Moris had already saved Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott in the 78th minute, making it clear that the visitors weren’t making much of an impression.