Liverpool vs Rangers LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction
Liverpool host Rangers in a Champions League group stage clash at Anfield
In the clash of the clubs from the banks of the Mersey and the Clyde, the real winner was Trent. The under pressure right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, set Liverpool on a path to victory they were expected to get. Perhaps he effected a swift transformation from scapegoat to top dog and certainly his celebration of a cathartic goal had an air of vindication.
Whether his brilliant free kick was an eloquent response to criticism or simply a demonstration of the gifts that make him a unique right-back, it brought him respite on an evening that ended not with another inquest, but a standing ovation.
For Liverpool, too, it was a restorative affair with Mohamed Salah adding a second with nonchalant ease. A continental campaign that began with the nadir of their worst performance under Jurgen Klopp now looks on course to conclude somewhere in the knockout stages. Napoli’s win over Ajax helps position Liverpool to qualify, if not win Group A, and they can plan for the return trip to Ibrox next week in greater need of points in the Premier League then the Champions League.
Relive the action from the Champions League as Liverpool defeated Rangers at Anfield:
Jurgen Klopp says ‘world-class’ Trent Alexander-Arnold good enough to ‘improve any team’ despite England snub
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes Trent Alexander-Arnold’s offensive impact is so great any team in the world could utilise him.
Klopp launched an impassioned defence of his right-back, whose World Cup hopes appear to be hanging by a thread, but accepts England manager Gareth Southgate has a different way of playing.
The 23-year-old was called up for the two Nations League matches against Italy and Germany but was an unused substitute for one and failed to make the squad for the second.
There has been a long-running debate as to why he cannot fit into the international side, with his apparent defensive deficiencies putting him behind Manchester City’s Kyle Walker, Chelsea’s Reece James and Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier.
Jurgen Klopp says ‘world-class’ Trent Alexander-Arnold would ‘improve any team’
Liverpool’s right-back was called up for the two Nations League matches against Italy and Germany but failed to play a minute
Klopp on Liverpool’s shaky defence
Liverpool have been uncharacteristically poor at defending their own goal this season and have conceded in every home game bar their 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth.
It’s a problem that manager Jurgen Klopp has so far been unable to solve and the German says his team need to ‘go back to the basics’.
"When you spot a problem and think you have the solution, you expect [it] to be instant.” said Klopp, “That’s never the case in football.
"Defending is an art and it worked for us really well for a long time. But with it not working, you realise you have to go back to the basics.
“We can’t always start anew. If we can help the boys with ways to defend differently, we have to do that."
Liverpool vs Rangers
The Champions League is back at Anfield as Liverpool welcome Rangers for a Group A clash. Kick off begins at 8pm and we’ll bring you all the build-up and team news beforehand.
Van Bronckhorst on facing Liverpool
Rangers boss, Giovanni van Brockhorst, says that Liverpool will be the ‘strongest side’ his team has faced when they clash with Jurgen Klopp’s men in the Champions League tonight.
"It’s going to be very difficult," he said. "This is a team who have been in three finals in five years and is one of the best in Europe. If you look at the ones we’ve faced, this is probably the strongest side.
"They didn’t have a good result on Saturday but they have quality players and a fantastic coach so we’re preparing for the best Liverpool we can face."
Rangers have been beaten heavily in both Group A matches so far but van Bronckhorst believes his men can be a threat to Liverpool and added that there are “things to exploit” in Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Jurgen Klopp urges Liverpool improvement but says confidence the big factor in poor results
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists even greats like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not immune from confidence issues as he seeks to find a solution to his side’s inconsistency.
Saturday’s 3-3 draw at home to Brighton, having gone from 2-0 down to 3-2 up, was an example of the wider malaise which is affecting the team.
Klopp is remaining patient but knows Tuesday’s Champions League tie at home to Rangers has become a key game having already lost once in Group A.
“People can ask how could it happen that these players are not full of confidence?” said the German.
Klopp urges Liverpool improvement but says confidence behind poor form
The Reds have been inconsistent this term and drew at home once more at the weekend
Liverpool vs Rangers early team news
Andy Robertson is likely to miss the game for Liverpool as he continues to recover from an injury that also forced him out of last month’s Nations League games for Scotland.
But, Ibrahima Konate trained with the squad on Monday and could feature but Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were not involved in the session and are set for more time on the sidelines.
For Rangers James Sands will be absent following his red card against Napoli and Tom Lawrence is out for the forseeable future after picking up a new injury in training. Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst says he is not expecting Lawrence back anytime soon and it will be until after the World Cup before he’s back in the squad.
The good news is that Ben Davies is available despite being replaced at half-time in the weekend win at Hearts.
Liverpool vs Rangers
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League clash between Liverpool vs Rangers.
It’s an all British affair at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp’s Reds look to kick themselves into gear after a lacklustre start to the season. Liverpool are currently ninth in the Premier League table and come into tonight’s match on the back of a 3-3 draw against Brighton on Saturday. In the Champions League, Klopp’s men sit second in Group A and could really do with a picking up three points this evening as a confidence booster.
Rangers on the other hand are thriving in the Scottish Premiership with only Celtic above them in the table. They battered Hearts 4-0 at the weekend and have built up some momentum over the last couple of games. Whether they are ready to face Liverpool is another matter. Their return to Europe’s top competition has so far been a shambles with heavy defeats to Ajax (4-0) and Napoli (3-0) souring the joy felt at making it back into the Champions League proper.
That sour taste will be banished though if they can pull one over Liverpool away from home. It is a good time to visit Anfield with the Reds only keeping one clean sheet in five games here this season and with Klopp’s men lacking confidence there may be a chance for the Gers to pull off a special European victory.
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