UEL: With nine reserve players, Liverpool still win at Anfield
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 05.10.23. | 23:56
The Reds didn't excite anyone with their display, but still managed a 2-0 win over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
With only one defeat in the last nine games in all competition since the start of the season, Liverpool were an absolute favourite in tonight’s game against Belgian sensation Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. After a controversial defeat from Tottenham 2-1 (the famous VAR blunder), coach Jurgen Klopp decided to change all but two players from the starting lineup (Allison, Salah). Other players got the chance in the UEFA Europa League but didn’t shine too much, so the German tactician changed and changed in the second half, but still, this is a game which will be forgotten by the early morning: Liverpool - Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 2-0.
Ryan Gravenberch is the first player to either score or assist a goal in each of his first three starts for #LFC in all competitions since Milan Baros in September 2002.
— Michael Reid (@michael_reid11) October 5, 2023
In a rather boring game, Liverpool managed their second victory in Europe, and this one was similar to the first one (3-1 away in Austria), as the Reds in both games were not playing dominantly and won using their vast experience and absolute individual quality. Salah recorded the first chance of the game, but USG’s keeper Moris made a clever save in the 5th minute. Nunez missed a sitter in the 17th minute, and the Uruguayan is usually very efficient in the Europa League (6 goals and two assists in 8 appearances). Liverpool could have been punished for those misses in the 27th minute when the guests had a good chance, but Nilsson missed it. But Moris made a crucial error in the 44th minute when he saved a strong shot from Alexander-Arnold, but failed to keep the ball in his hands, and Gravenberch was there to tap in for 1-0.
Klopp was not happy with the first half, so he changed Endo, Nunez and Salah with Diaz, Mac Allister and Jones. But nothing better came out of it. Gravenberch could have scored the second, but this time Moris was on the spot and since Salah came out, the Reds lost their momentum. USG were still much in the game but then needed that final touch, which never came. In the end, the Reds ‘closed’ the game two minutes into overtime, then the guests lost the ball in midfield, and a counter-attack followed, with a precise finish from Diogo Jota for the final 2-0.
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2
Thursday
Freiburg - West Ham 1-2 (0-1)
/Sallai 49 - Paqueta 8, Aguerd 66/
TSC Backa Topola - Olympiakos 2-2 (0-1)
/Djakovac 63, Pantović 90+5 - Masounas 16, Podence 57/
AEK - Ajax 1-1 (0-1)
/Vida 74 - Bergwijn 30/
Olympique Marseille - Brighton 2-2 (2-0)
/Mbemba 19, Vertout 20 - Gross 54, Pedro (p) 88/
Aris Limmasol - Rangers 2-1 (1-0)
/Moussounda 9, Babic 59 - Sima 70/
Betis - Sparta Praha 2-1 (1-1)
/Diao 9, Isco 79 - Birmancevic 3/
Rakow - Sturm 0-1 (0-1)
/Bowing 23/
Sporting - Atalanta 1-2 (0-2)
/Gyokeres 76 - Scalvini 33, Ruggeri 43/
Liverpool - St.Gilloise 2-0 (1-0)
/Gravenberch 44, Jota 90+2/
Toulouse - LASK 1-0 (1-0)
/Suazo 31/
Maccabi Haifa - Panathinaikos 0-0
Villareal - Rennes (1-0)
/Sorloth 36/
Slavia Praha - Sheriff Tiraspol 6-0 (3-0)
/Chytil 4, Ogbu 7, Garananga 39(og)/
Hacken - Qarabag 0-1 (0-0)
/Vieira 70/
Roma - Servette 4-0 (1-0)
/Lukaku 21, Belotti 48, 59, Pellergini 52/
Molde - Leverkusen1-2 (0-2)
/Breivik 87 - Frimpong 14, Tella 18
