In the Reds’ last Europa League group game, Union Saint-Gilloise defeated the youngest European club in Liverpool’s history 2-1.

Their 14th different scorer this season, Jarell Quansah, a 20-year-old center-back, scored his first senior goal on a tough night for Jurgen Klopp’s young team.

Quansah’s goal in the 40th minute tied the club record for the 34th consecutive goal-scoring game. On Sunday, Manchester United will stand in the way of a new milestone, as Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Alisson Becker will all make their way back after being left out.

Despite a second loss, Liverpool’s top spot was already guaranteed, but Union advanced to the Europa Conference League play-offs thanks to the victory.

With Wataru Endo, 30, five years older than the next senior player, the team’s average age was a mere 21.9 years, and the only two regular starts were Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo.

It should come as no surprise that the hosts, who have only lost once at home this season due to misses from Noah Sidiki and Koki Machida, posed an early threat.

Gakpo’s balance let him down in a rare attack when he chested down a crossfield pass from Conor Bradley inside the box, but Liverpool, with six players aged 20 or younger, naturally struggled with rhythm and control.

Mohammed Amoura and Gustaf Nilsson outran Quansah to a pass played into the right channel, which is where the opening goal originated, but Caoimhin Kelleher made excellent saves.

Before Amoura broke away to score after Kelleher half-saved his first attempt, Curtis Jones and Endo appeared to have been fouled. However, VAR determined there was not enough in those challenges or an offside.

Quansah’s goal was expertly played; the defender killed Jones’ corner to score and make up for the last-minute equalizer that VAR had denied him in Toulouse’s 4-3 loss to him last month.

Just before the half, as Union regained the lead, Cameron Puertas beat Kelleher too easily at his right-hand post, raising doubts about his placement.

Joe Gomez took Konate’s place; both will likely play against Manchester United on Sunday, but Quansah was the standout center-back. Ryan Gravenberch replaced Endo to further lower the average age, but it had no effect on the game’s flow.

Before VAR disqualified the goal for Lazare Amani’s handball, Klopp had already substituted Darwin Nunez and Calum Scanlon, an eighteen-year-old left defender, when Puertas beat Kelleher softly once more, this time down to his left.

The fact that Liverpool’s second shot of the match, which Anthony Moris saved from Gravenberch and then from Harvey Elliott in the 78th minute, demonstrated how little of an impact the visitors had, despite Nilsson’s header going wide and Puertas forcing another save.