Liverpool have beaten Young Boys 5-3 in their first Europa League fixture on Thursday night.

The Merseysiders had one eye on the Premier League clash with Manchester United this weekend, with a raft of first-team players being rested and a young and inexperienced contingent travelling to Switzerland.

A Juhani Ojala own goal gave the Anfield club the lead early on, before Rapha Nuzzolo squared things up after 38 minutes.

Young full-back Andre Wisdom ensured the Reds went into half-time 2-1 up, but Young Boys rallied and goals from Ojala and Gonzalo Zarate put them into the lead.

Liverpool stuck together and a Sebastian Coates strike along with a Jonjo Shelvey double gave the English team an opening victory.

Brendan Rodgers has stated that he was proud of his team's efforts and was glad to see some of the younger players impress.

"We've come away with a young team into a European game and I want to talk about the five goals, which were absolutely magnificent," he told Sky Sports.

Of course, we could have defended better and the three goals we gave away were disappointing, but there are only positives from tonight.

"My young players were so courageous and brave to play and show confidence. My senior players were very much together and kept all the young guys going.

"It was a chance for the young players to seize that opportunity to play and I think they took it.

"For sure, we need to be better in certain areas but I think it's a night of great pride for the football club and, certainly for me as a manager, to take a group like that. I thought we could win which is why I took that squad but to play like we did and get the goals we did it was fantastic," he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight