Liverpool maintained their perfect start in the UEFA Europa League group stages with a 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday evening.
Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Mohamed Salah and Darwin started for the Reds eleven, despite a Premier League clash against Brighton and Hove Albion coming on Sunday.
Quansah was instantly in the thick of things when he initiated a counter-attack from a loose pass and saw Salah get a shot away, but his low strike failed to trouble Anthony Moris.
Moris had more activity ten minutes, as he remained resolute to thwart a fiery long-range drive from Ryan Gravenberch and kept his side alive at the intimidating Anfield.
The boys from the Belgian Pro League launched their first threat before the half-hour mark where a floated ball in by Cameron Puertas saw Gustaf Nilsson head over from close-range.
Liverpool, though, were ahead as Gravenberch charged onto a loose ball after Moris fumbled Alexander-Arnold’s shot back into play and tucked in moments to halftime.
Salah didn’t come out for the second half as Klopp threw on Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister, whose brother Kevin featured for the away side.
These introductions didn’t disrupt the home side’s rhythm and in fact saw them threaten a second when Jota brought a smart save off Moris after getting on the end of Mac Allister’s cross.
Moris encountered more work in the midway period of the second half as he palmed away a curling shot from a tight angle by Gravenberch.
Saint-Gilloise began to show purpose a little before full-time, but didn’t get the desired intensity in the final third least of all on goal.
Liverpool made matters safe in added time when Jota ran onto a through pass and after getting an angle found the bottom-corner to bring the match to a close
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