It’s a battle of Britain this Tuesday night [local time] at Anfield. Stuttering Liverpool welcomes Glasgow Rangers in the third Group A fixture of the 22/23 Champions League campaign. Incredibly, this is the first meeting of the two giants of football in any level of European competition.
Rangers don’t have a tremendous record in their seven games in England in UEFA competition, with their only victory south of the border coming nearly thirty years ago. That was a 2-1 win over Leeds United in the 1992 Champions League.
Something well documented is that Liverpool always gives up an early goal; especially lately. Rangers will hope to capitalize on that and finally score their first Champions League goal this season.
Failure to do so would see them scoreless in their first three UCL group stage matches for the first time ever.
Liverpool vs Rangers FYIs
Kick-Off: Tues. Oct 4, 2022, at 8 pm UK at Anfield
Competition: UCL Group A, Matchday 3 of 6
Liverpool Team News: Go Here
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 85% Rangers 5% Draw 10%
UCL Group Standings: Liverpool: 2nd, 3pts Rangers 4th, 0pts
Starting XI Prediction
Liverpool fielded a fairly powerful side against Brighton last time out in the Premier League. There were still a couple of surprises though with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez starting on the bench. Diogo Jota also began the bench and I think those three will form the Liverpool attack here as The Reds look to secure a second straight Champions League victory.
I also think Ibrahima Konate returns in this fixture. I have got him playing in place of Joel Matip. However, he could just as easily start in place of Virgil van Dijk, who is woefully out of form.
GK- Alisson
DEF- Alexander Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas
MID- Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago
ATT- Jota, Nunez, Diaz
Match Prediction
I am officially calling it. This season is a disaster for Liverpool. If they keep playing the way they are playing, they may even struggle to qualify for this competition next season.
I think Rangers come to Anfield and get an early goal [as everyone does lately]. Then it will be up to Liverpool to hit back and secure at least a point. I think that is the best they can hope for.
Draw 1-1
Stuart Kavanagh is a journalist currently residing in Broken Hill, Australia. He writes for the Barrier Truth newspaper, along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, He co-hosts the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast and contributes at edgeofthecrowd.com when time permits. He is also the Media & Communications Director at the Newosis Mental Health Foundation. You can find more about what the Newosis Mental Health Foundation is about here.
Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.