Rangers vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result and final score after Mohamed Salah hits record hat-trick

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?

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?

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.

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 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

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 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.

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.”

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.

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.