Liverpool 2-0 Rangers: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah on target for hosts in Champions League

Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) scores for Liverpool

Liverpool cruised to a confidence-building victory in the Champions League as Rangers were comfortably dismissed at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have struggled for form this season but a disappointing Rangers represented the perfect opposition to return to winning ways as Liverpool moved closer to a place in the knockout phase.

Rangers fans travelled to Merseyside in their thousands and backed their side noisily throughout an embarrassingly one-sided encounter which Liverpool should have won far more emphatically.

Trent Alexander-Arnold put Liverpool ahead after only seven minutes when he clipped a perfect 25-yard free-kick into the top corner and only veteran keeper Allan McGregor kept Rangers in range with a succession of saves, frustrating Darwin Nunez in particular.

Liverpool finally got the second goal they deserved eight minutes after the break when Mohamed Salah scored from the penalty spot after Leon King fouled Luis Diaz.

Rangers, who have not won a point from three games in Group A, had a late chance when Kostas Tsimikas cleared off the line from Rabbi Matondo but they were outclassed by a Liverpool side who did not need to hit top gear to win.

More to follow.

Line-ups

Liverpool

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Alisson
66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 90minsSubstituted forGomezat 90+3′minutes
32Matip
4van Dijk
21Tsimikas
14HendersonSubstituted forFabinhoat 70′minutes
6Thiago AlcántaraSubstituted forMilnerat 81′minutes
11Salah
20JotaSubstituted forFirminoat 69′minutes
23Díaz
27NúñezSubstituted forElliottat 80′minutes

Substitutes

2Gomez
3Fabinho
5Konaté
7Milner
9Firmino
13Adrián
19Elliott
22Ramsay
28Freitas Gouveia Carvalho
43Bajcetic
47Phillips
62Kelleher

Rangers

Formation 5-4-1

1McGregor
2Tavernier
38King
6Goldson
26DaviesSubstituted forKamaraat 81′minutes
31Barisic
71TillmanSubstituted forSakalaat 66′minutes
10DavisSubstituted forJackat 66′minutes
4LundstramBooked at 37mins
14KentSubstituted forMatondoat 81′minutes
20MorelosSubstituted forColakat 73′minutes

Substitutes

3Yilmaz
8Jack
9Colak
17Matondo
18Kamara
23Wright
28McCrorie
30Sakala
33McLaughlin
37Arfield
44Devine

Referee:: Clément Turpin

Match Stats

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Liverpool 2, Rangers 0.