Return to European Action: Liverpool vs. Union Saint-Gilloise Preview

After a four-year hiatus, the electrifying atmosphere of a Europa League match is set to return to Anfield this Thursday. Liverpool, buoyed by their recent Premier League performances, is gearing up to take on the formidable Belgian side, Union Saint-Gilloise.

Recapping the Weekend:
Liverpool recently faced a series of challenges in a hard-fought match against Tottenham in the English capital. Despite a last-minute setback that saw them leave empty-handed, their resilient nine-man defense earned admiration.

Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool’s strategic mastermind, is known for bouncing back from adversity. He is keen to secure a smooth victory, especially after a somewhat shaky 3-1 win against LASK on the opening matchday. On the other side, Union Saint-Gilloise started their Europa League campaign with a draw against Toulouse.

Key Match Details:

Location: Anfield, Liverpool, EnglandDate: Thursday, 5th OctoberKick-off: 20:00 BSTReferee: Morten Krogh Hansen (DEN)VAR: Roi Reinshreiber (ISR)

Head-to-Head History:
This will be the inaugural encounter between these two teams, with neither side having secured a victory in this fixture.

Last 5 match:

Liverpool: WWWWL

Union Saint-Gilloise: LDWWW

How to Watch:

UK: TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, discovery+, discovery+ App

USA: Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN USA, UniMás, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX

Canada: DAZN

Expected Lineups:

Liverpool:
Jurgen Klopp may field a lineup similar to the one that faced LASK. Despite the absence of Thiago and the injured Cody Gakpo, Klopp has several key players at his disposal. The versatile Trent Alexander-Arnold is poised to return to the starting lineup, with youth talent Jarell Quansah anchoring the defense. Upfront, Darwin Nunez could lead the attack, supported by midfield additions Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo.

Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-3-3): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Konate, Tsimikas; Endo, Gravenberch, Elliott; Doak, Nunez, Jota.

Union Saint-Gilloise:
The Belgian visitors have few injury concerns, except for a question mark over Dennis Eckert. Manager Alexander Blessin, who previously led Genoa, is expected to stick with a three-man defense against Liverpool.

Predicted Union Saint-Gilloise Lineup (3-4-3): Moris; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Castro-Montes, Sadiki, Vanhoutte, Lapoussin; Amani, Nilsson, Puertas.

Prediction:

While Union Saint-Gilloise currently leads the Belgian Pro League, they may face a tough challenge against a versatile Liverpool lineup at Anfield. With the visitors’ defense occasionally susceptible, Liverpool could capitalize on opportunities. Union may put up resistance, similar to LASK, but a victory for Liverpool appears to be the most likely outcome.

Final Score Prediction: Liverpool 2 – 0 Union Saint-Gilloise