Reds stunned by minnows in giant boilover before Man Utd blockbuster: Europa Wrap
A youthful Liverpool side lost 2-1 at Union Saint-Gilloise in their final Europa League group game on Thursday, while Villarreal snatched a place in the last 16 from Rennes with a dramatic victory in France.
Elsewhere, Azeri club Qarabag reached the knockout playoff round and Slavia Prague finished top of Group G ahead of last season’s runners-up Roma.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp rang the changes with his team already secure as Group E winners and with an eye on the weekend’s Premier League game against rivals Manchester United, starting six players aged 20 or younger.
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Saint-Gilloise, who needed a victory to keep alive their hopes of pipping Toulouse to second place, took the lead through Mohamed Amoura before Jarell Quansah hit back for Liverpool.
Cameron Puertas restored the hosts’ advantage two minutes before halftime with a low strike which beat Caoimhin Kelleher at his near post.
Klopp threw on Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez in the second half, but Saint-Gilloise held on for a famous win, although the Belgians dropped into the Europa Conference League playoff round after Toulouse beat LASK Linz 2-1 in the group’s other game to finish second.
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Dani Parejo scored a late winner as Villarreal took top spot in Group F and direct qualification for the last 16 with a 3-2 victory at Rennes.
Lorenz Assignon hammered home in the 12th minute of injury time to seemingly
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