« on: October 5, 2023, 06:52:53 pm »
Liverpool vs Royale Union Saint Gilloise
UEFA Europa League
Thursday 05 October 2023
8.00pm Kick Off
TV – TNT Sports 1
Officials
Referee
Morten Krogh DEN
Assistant referees
D. Wollenberg Rasmussen DEN
Steffen Bramsen DEN
Fourth official
Mikkel Redder DEN
Video Assistant Referee
Roi Reinshreiber ISR
Assistant Video Assistant Referee
Massimiliano Irrati ITA
Match Preview
I’m not going to lie – I do enjoy a Europa campaign. Always feels more acceptable to have a few pints on a Thursday than a Tuesday or a Wednesday and what better way to accompany it than watching our beloved Red Men in Europe. It’s not a competition that we’d want to be in year in year out, but now that we’re in it, I sure am going to enjoy it. The Europa League provided us with one hell of a ride in 2015/16, rollercoaster victories, cauldrons of atmospheres at Anfield, providing that first real sense of belief returning and that Liverpool were ‘back’ under Jurgen Klopp going on to appear in three Champions League finals in the seasons ahead. Perhaps this competition can prove to be the same catalyst for ‘Liverpool 2.0’.
I’ve particularly enjoyed doing this piece, a completely new team to me who I must admit, I hadn’t really heard of until last season. However, my research suggests we are coming up against a more than capable outfit. Union Saint-Gilloise currently top the Belgian Pro League as they look to finally become Champions after two near misses in recent seasons, including an injury time collapse on the final day last season. Their rise has been fairly meteoric – promoted from the Belgian Third Division on a technicality as recently as 2015, when two sides above them were denied Second Division licenses, they embarked on their first Champions League campaign last season, coming unstuck in a qualifier against Rangers (who went on to face the Reds in the Group Stages), going down 3-2 on aggregate having taken a 2-0 first leg lead to Ibrox.
One look at their ownership structure may provide a clue to their rise. Tony Bloom, Brighton & Hove Albion Chairman, became majority shareholder in 2018, before selling his stake in the summer. We know only too well how well Brighton have operated in their own rise into European football.
After dropping into the Europa League following their loss to Rangers, Union Saint-Gilloise embarked on a fantastic run to the quarter-finals, before going down to Bayer Leverkusen, managed by our very own Xabi Alonso. Within Union’s ranks you can find a Kevin Mac Allister – not of Home Alone fame, but the brother of our Alexis.
Despite being something of an unknown quantity to Liverpool, you can see from their recent pedigree that this is going to be a very tricky test for the Reds on Thursday night. Certainly one for us to look forward to.
As for Liverpool, the League Cup and Europa League are providing us with an excellent opportunity to provide the squad with appropriate game time and rest the likes of Mo Salah. The early stages of these competitions are going to be so vital for the development of the likes of Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones and Ben Doak, who may not have tasted the same experience of European football had we been in the Champions League. In addition to that quartet, the work done in the summer has made the squad look undeniably stronger on paper, a fact borne out by the sides we have been able to field in both competitions so far, all of whom I would expect to contribute this season. After the debacle of the Spurs game, this is a welcome respite from the Premier League and hopefully we can take out any lingering frustrations in style.
My predicted line up (4-3-3) – Kelleher, Bajcetic, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Gravenberch, Elliott, Doak, Jota, Nunez
Come on you mighty Reds! YNWA
« Last Edit: October 5, 2023, 09:50:16 pm by TepidT2O »
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“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
“Generosity always pays off. Generosity in your effort, in your work, in your kindness, in the way you look after people and take care of people. In the long run, if you are generous with a heart, and with humanity, it always pays off.”
W
