Liverpool won the Europa League for the second time in a row against Union Saint-Gilloise.

When Antony Moris spilled Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range shot, Ryan Gravenberch scored for Jurgen Klopp’s team late in the first half.

Diogo Jota slipped home in front of The Kop during second-half added time after being set up by replacement Luis Diaz’s brilliant pass.

The Reds’ perfect start to their Group E campaign keeps them in first place, two points ahead of future opponents Toulouse.

Anfield’s primary talking points were as follows:

Reds return to normalcy

Following the events of the preceding five days, Liverpool could have easily become distracted by the controversy surrounding their defeat at Tottenham.

The scandal of VAR failure that robbed Luis Diaz a legitimate goal in last weekend’s Premier League match lingers.

A comfortable Europa League group stage win against Union Saint-Gilloise may not feel like a perfect palate cleanser to those lingering concerns.

However, this was exactly what the doctor had recommended.

Except for a brief period at the end of regular time, the Reds were mostly untroubled by their Belgian opponents on Thursday night.

It felt like a training session at moments, with Klopp’s charges scarcely breaking a sweat as the hosts reinforced their authority with late goals in both halves.

This will not be remembered as one of Anfield’s great European nights, but Liverpool giving a semblance of normalcy after a genuinely tumultuous week was sufficient.

Klopp makes no half-measures

Klopp could be excused for taking a laid-back approach to the Europa League.

According to Klopp, this was never the tournament he envisioned his team participating in at the start of the current season.

After fielding strong lineups in consecutive group games, the German’s reputation for going full-throttle extended to the Champions League’s poor relation.

From front to back, Liverpool’s XI versus Union was far from subpar, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also making a return start.

Following a series of pre-planned modifications, they were later joined by more established individuals, including Alexis Mac Allister’s much-touted family reunion.

Previously, Klopp may have succumbed to the lure of fielding a team largely entirely of periphery and untested players.

Such half-measures, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly rare.

TAA sets a good example

The recent promotion of Alexander-Arnold to Liverpool’s vice-captain position promised to be a poisoned chalice for the returning indigenous full-back.

Aside from the extra responsibilities, the England international has large shoes to fill as the latest in a long line of academy graduates to ascend to the position.

Seven illustrious characters from Anfield’s past have been named second in command, with all but one – Chris Lawler – taking on permanent roles.

A chance to stake his future candidacy did not go unnoticed in Alexander-Arnold’s first start since suffering a hamstring injury in September.

His return saw a real captain’s performance complemented by a 63-minute outing in which he did more than just create the foundation for Liverpool’s first goal.

Anthony Moris couldn’t handle the 24-year-old’s long-range effort, which he spilled into Ryan Gravenberch’s path shortly before halftime.

Multiple cross-field passes were pinged in for Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah, demonstrating a great eye for inch-perfect deliveries from distance.

His skill is undeniable, but Alexander-Arnold went a long way toward establishing himself as Liverpool’s future leader in this recent performance.