Liverpool vs Rangers predictions: Reds to come out on top

Liverpool’s disappointing start to the season continued at the weekend as they drew 3-3 with Brighton, meaning they are now 11 points off Arsenal who are currently top of the Premier League.

The result means that the Reds have won just three of their opening nine games across all competitions and they will be looking to get their season back on track as they host Rangers in this all-British Champions League affair.

The Gers have had a difficult start to the new campaign themselves with a 4-0 defeat to rivals Celtic followed by a pair of Champions League losses without scoring to Ajax and Napoli.

However, since then, the Scottish side have beaten Dundee United 2-1 before getting the better of Hearts 4-0 on Saturday.

Both teams will be desperate to put their inconsistent starts to the season behind them and pick up a result in what promises to be an engrossing night of European football.

Team news

Liverpool pair Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson are expected to miss out through injury, joining Curtis Jones, Calvin Ramsay and Caoimhin Kelleher on the sidelines.

Long-term absentees Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been left out of the Reds' Champions League squad due to their injury problems.

James Sands was sent off in Rangers’ 3-0 defeat at the hands of Napoli and as a result is suspended for this clash.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst will also be without Kemar Roofe, Ianis Hagi, Filip Helander, Jon McLaughlin, John Souttar and Tom Lawrence through injury.

The stats

Liverpool have failed to score the first goal in 14 of their last 17 competitive matches.

The Reds have conceded 14 times in nine matches in all competitions this season, keeping just two clean sheets. However they do have a rock-solid record at home, losing just two of their last 42 matches at Anfield in all competitions.

Rangers have been involved in a number of high-scoring affairs recently, with seven of their last 10 matches in all competitions having four or more goals.

Both teams have scored in seven of Liverpool’s nine games in all competitions this season.

Prediction

Liverpool’s defensive issues have been clear for all to see this season and they have a bad habit of giving their opponents a head start, failing to score the first goal in 14 of their last 17 competitive matches.

Given their issues at the back, Rangers are fancied to get their first goal of the Champions League campaign as they face an English opponent in Europe for the first time since they took on Manchester United in their 2010-11 Champions League campaign.

However, Liverpool’s overall attacking quality should shine through as the match goes on and both teams are fancied to find the net in a victory for the Reds.