By naming Liverpool’s lineup, Jurgen Klopp has the chance to break a 53-year-old record by fielding the team’s youngest-ever European lineup. With nothing riding on the dead rubber match against Union SG, Klopp has already acknowledged the situation and is expected to rest some of his regular starters.
Alongside a host of key players, 11 academy graduates have made the trip to Belgium, ranging from more experienced players like Jarell Quansah and Ben Doak to those yet to debut for the first team like Lewis Koumas. The expected lineup for kickoff includes Kelleher, Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Chambers, McConnell, Elliott, Jones, Doak, Scanlon, and Gakpo, with an average age of just 21. If Koumas were to replace Gakpo, the average age would drop to 20.5. The current record stands at an average age of 23.4 years, set in 1970 during a match against Dinamo Bucharest in the European Fairs Cup, and all but one of the eight youngest sides in the club’s history have come during Klopp’s reign.
