Liverpool head to Scotland to face Rangers this week in the Champions League. It has a feel of a knockout round tie, given the gap between the fixtures is just seven days. And what a difference seven days make. At the end of the home fixture against Rangers, there was a feeling of a corner being turned. The malaise is back, however, as Liverpool head into this one after a deserved defeat at the hands of Arsenal.
Liverpool will hope they can keep Rangers’ miserable run against English sides in European competition going. The Glaswegians have not only failed to win any of their last five against English clubs, they have also failed to score.
Rangers will lean on Liverpool’s spotty history against Scottish sides in Europe. They have only won three of seven against Scottish opposition in UEFA competition. And they have never won two in a row in Scotland.
Their last match in Scotland was a victory, defeating Hearts 1-0 in August 2012.
Liverpool at Rangers FYIs
Kick-Off: Weds. Oct 12, 2022, at 8 pm UK at Ibrox Stadium
Competition: UCL Group A, Matchday 4 of 6
Liverpool Team News: Go Here
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple
Google Result Probability: Rangers 12% Liverpool 71% Draw 17%
UCL Group Standings: Rangers: 4th, 0pts Liverpool 2nd, 6pts
Starting XI Prediction
Liverpool is in horrible form. And just as they start getting key players back from injury, they lose more to the medical room. Trent Alexander Arnold and Luis Diaz are the latest to add to that list.
That makes selection, and even predicting Liverpool’s shape, tricky.
We are going with the traditional Jurgen Klopp 4-3-3 in this match.
GK- Alisson
DEF- Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas
MID- Fabinho, Elliot, Thiago
ATT- Salah, Nunez, Jota
Match Prediction
The gulf in the quality between Scottish and English football is huge. Some might say it has never been bigger. And it is for that simple fact that we are not predicting a Liverpool loss. They have too much quality compared to their opponents.
What we are predicting is a 1-1 draw that only deepens the crisis that is brewing at Anfield.
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.