Rangers vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result and final score after Mohamed Salah hits record hat-trick
Rangers 1-7 Liverpool: Scott Arfield’s opener had Ibrox rocking but Firmino’s double sparked a remarkable turnaround, as Salah scored the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history
Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick in just six minutes as Liverpool came from behind to thrash Rangers at Ibrox, as the Scottish side were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages.
A double from Roberto Firmino turned the match around to ease the pressure on Liverpool after Scott Arfield gave Rangers the perfect start and had Ibrox rocking when he fired past Alisson.
But Firmino then silenced the home crowd with a simple equaliser from a corner before the Brazilian struck his second as he tucked an excellent cross from Joe Gomez past Allan McGregor. Firmino then turned provider to set up Darwin Nunez, who slotted in Liverpool’s third.
It went from bad to worse for Rangers as Salah came off the bench to score the fastest ever Champions League hat-trick, while Harvey Elliott added a seventh, providing a boost to Liverpool’s confidence ahead of Sunday’s clash against Manchester City.
Follow all the reaction as Liverpool put seven past Rangers in the Champions League:
Rangers struggling for goals
Rangers have scored just seven goals in their last 16 Champions League games and never more than once in a game in that run. With Antonio Colak starting this evening can he give them the impetus to be more clinical in front of goal?
A new front three for Liverpool
Liverpool have scored in all but one of their previous 20 Champions League group games, finding the net in all 11 such fixtures since a 2-0 defeat at home to Atalanta in November 2020.
Can Klopp’s new look attacking line or Darwin Nunez, Roberto Firmino and Fabio Carvalho keep up the standards?
Trent Alexander-Arnold got ‘lucky’ as Jurgen Klopp provides Liverpool injury update
Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool got lucky with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ankle injury as the right-back may only be out for two weeks.
Liverpool had feared they would be without the England international for longer after he was hurt in a challenge with Gabriel Martinelli in Arsenal’s 3-2 win on Sunday.
But, while Liverpool are also without Luis Diaz until Boxing Day and Joel Matip for a couple of weeks, Klopp at least had some good news in the full-back positions with Alexander-Arnold potentially returning in time for their trip to Ajax and Andy Robertson, who has missed their last four games, in contention to make a comeback against Rangers on Wednesday.
Alexander-Arnold got ‘lucky’ as Klopp provides Liverpool injury update
The England right-back joins the Reds’ lengthy list of players on the sidelines after a poor start to the season
Rangers vs Liverpool team changes
Giovanni van Bronckhorst makes just one change to the Rangers side that defeated St. Mirren at the weekend with Ryan Kent brought in to replace Rabbi Matondo. It’s a change in formation from the team that started at Anfield with the Scottish side reverting to a back four in defence.
Jurgen Klopp makes six changes to the Liverpool side that lost to Arsenal with the big headline being no Mo Salah. Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez slot into the defence with Harvey Elliott and Fabinho joining Jordan Henderson in midfield. Darwin Nunez continues to lead the line but he’s parterned by Fabio Carvalho and Roberto Firmino this time out.
Rangers vs Liverpool line-ups
Rangers XI: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Lundstram, Jack, Sakala, Arfield, Kent, Colak
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Elliott; Carvalho, Firmino, Nunez
Can Liverpool win at Ibrox?
The Reds have not lost consecutive Champions League away games since 2019, when they followed up a 3-0 semi-final first-leg defeat in Barcelona with a 2-0 group-stage reverse in Naples.
Their last away game in this competition ended in a 4-1 defeat to Napoli on matchday one.
Rangers vs Liverpool
Rangers are winless (one draw, four defeats) and have failed to score in their last five European meetings with English sides, losing 2-0 in their first meeting with Liverpool last week.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have won three of their seven away games against Scottish sides in all competitions (two draws, two defeats).
However, they’ve never won consecutive such games, beating Heart of Midlothian 1-0 in their last visit in August 2012.
Van Bronckhorst targeting three points
Rangers boss, Giovanni van Bronckhorst if aiming to take all three points away from tonight’s encounter with Liverpool and has stressed the need for his players to take thier chances when they arrive.
Writing in the programme notes for tonight’s match he said: “Last week at Anfield, we got to see their strength and qualities, but we go into this evening’s game with determination and desire to claim all three Group A points on Matchday 4.
“Across the pitch, we will have to be sharp and focused, and when goalscoring chances come our way, it is so important we take them, so we lift the crowd and can then feed off that.”
Joel Matip joins lengthy Liverpool’s injury list with calf problem
Liverpool’s injury woes continue to mount after defender Joel Matip was ruled out for at least a couple of weeks with a calf problem.
Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Premier League leaders Arsenal has proved to be more damaging than just the actual result with Matip the third player to be forced off in the game now facing a lay-off.
Forward Luis Diaz, who left the Emirates on crutches and with a knee in a brace, has been ruled out until after the World Cup with a knee injury after scans on Monday highlighted a longer-term problem.
Under-fire defender Trent Alexander-Arnold came off with an ankle injury which will rule him out of the midweek trip to Rangers – where a win will go a long way to advancing their chances of making the Champions League knockout stage – and Sunday’s visit of Manchester City.
Matip was unlikely to have played at Ibrox after three matches in a week but it is understood he now faces an enforced absence.
Joel Matip joins lengthy Liverpool’s injury list with calf problem
The defender was one of three players to be forced off in Sunday’s Premier League defeat at Arsenal
Colak to start for Rangers?
Antonio Čolak was introdcued late on in the game at Anfield and could impose a threat on Liverpool with his team already two goals down by that time.
The Croatian is the man in form with 13 goals from 16 games including six in his last three Scottich Premiership fixtures.
His goal against PSV Eindhoven secured Champions League football for the club and it would not be a surprise if the manager turned to the in-form striker to lead the line tonight.
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