A battling performance by Rangers at Anfield wasn't enough to see them claim their first point of their Champions League group stage as Liverpool ran out easy winners.
Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in an inch-perfect free-kick during the opening exchanges as Gio van Bronckhorst's side got off to a nightmare start on Merseyside, before Leon King chopped down by Luis Diaz and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. There were few protests from the visitors before Liverpool talisman Mo Salah stepped up to thump the ball beyond Allan McGregor and into the net.
McGregor's heroics kept the scoreline down despite improvements in the second half, but defeat at Anfield leaves Rangers without a point in Europe's premier competition at the halfway stage in Group A. The performance has irked some of the pundits after the changes sparked a second wind from Rangers, with the likes of Malik Tillman and Ryan Kent in the firing line.
It's not long before the return fixture at Ibrox as Van Bronckhorst looks to keep his hopes of performing in Europe after the World Cup this winter. Here is what the pundits had to say after the Battle of Britain.
Ally McCoist
'It was interesting as the game development. Ryan Kent in the second half got himself in a wide position and got a one vs one on Trent Alexander-Arnold. I am thinking take him on, anything can happen. He didn't do that, two minutes later and the ball is up the park and Diaz does exactly that. King tries to win it and they get the penalty. That is the big difference.
"I'm thinking to myself with a back five, the gaps between the left-back, the left centre-back and the centre-back, how can that possibly be? But i's because Jota and Diaz would drop into a dangerous area and create that space. It's very clever.
"I would expect them to go with a back four for next game and go with a more in the next game. If Rangers have any hopes of getting third place, they need to take something from the Liverpool game and beat Ajax at home."
Rio Ferdinand
"It's details in these big games, and the difference in details and take the opportunities that arise. You have got to go for the jugular. When you get a chance, and are set up to get Ryan Kent one on one, you have got to take that with both hands. He (Ryan Kent) will probably look back at that (second half) and think that was a chance for me to go and do it, and to be fair the two wingers who came on (Rabbi Matondo and Fashion Sakala) showed a different energy. If they had started like that they maybe would have given them a better opportunity."
Kris Boyd
"That was the difference (Ryan Kent not taking on Trent Alexander-Arnold). It was a similar position that Diaz was in (for the penalty). Kent and Trent Alexander-Arnold, he takes it and crosses it straight out the pitch. Luis Diaz got it, twisted and turned and Leon King dangles out a leg for a penalty kick."
Michael Owen
"We highlight Diaz from the start with his direct play. Rangers could have been more direct in certain opportunities, and then they paid the price. Jordan Henderson with a great switch (after taking the ball from Kent) and Diaz is so direct. He loves committing players, and has great feet."
Kenny Miller
"They were outplayed, there is doubt about it. They have come up against a very good team. Rangers set-up was about containment and they have effectively lost to two set plays. Had it not been for Allan McGregor it could have been a lot more, but I think it was a comfortable evening for Liverpool."
Neil McCann
"There has to be questions asked of certain players by Van Bronckhorst, Malik Tillman being one of them. That was a sobering performance in terms of how far Rangers were off it. That was miles more than a 2-0. Allan McGregor was outstanding, if it wasn't for that man it would have been six."
Dion Dublin
"The gulf in class was the difference. Liverpool wore Rangers down. When Rangers had the ball, they were forced into errors. Liverpool dominated for so much of the game and Rangers simply had no answer. The scoreline is a fair reflection."
Steven Thompson
"You can select a team and put them out with a game plan which he will and they will have done their homework. But when you cross the line you have got to go and then carry those instructions out and the Rangers players didn't and I felt as though they weren't able to cope in all honesty with the movement, the pressing and the intensity on and off of the ball.
"For me the word bravery was used after the Ajax game, aggression but it was missing again tonight. You can look at the Ajax game and say 'right okay', you can hope that is a one off because there was a response against Napoli for 60 minutes but to repeat that again tonight, it does raise questions. Are they miles off this level or are the players not doing themselves justice?"
Adam Lallana
"It was extremely comfortable for Liverpool and I was a bit disappointed with how Rangers approached the game, especially after their good result at the weekend. I thought they'd play with a bit more aggression and on the front foot, but it was total domination from Liverpool.
"Rangers were passive in the way they set up. It was a flat back-five, Tavernier never got forward. But it's a tough place to go to. It can be intimidating, but maybe it was a perfect game for Liverpool tonight after a few that didn't go their way.
"It would have been five or six for Liverpool had it not been for McGregor. I thought he was incredible tonight."
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