Rangers vs Liverpool predictions: Entertaining affair expected at Ibrox

Bottom-side Rangers take on second-placed Liverpool in a crucial Champions League Group A clash at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

Rangers are yet to score in the group and have conceded nine goals, leaving them bottom and requiring a victory to keep their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 stage alive.

As for Liverpool, they are second in Group A, three points behind Napoli and three ahead of third-place Ajax, who have a tricky trip to Naples to take on the leaders on Wednesday at 5.45pm.

While a defeat or a draw would end the Gers' hopes of reaching the next round, they are still in the running to finish third, which would see them drop into the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

The stats

Ahead of the Matchday 4 fixtures, Rangers and FC Copenhagen are the only sides yet to score in the Champions League, while the Scottish outfit's tally of nine goals conceded is the second-worst defensive record in the competition.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side do have a strong home record to fall back on, as they have lost just one of their last 13 competitive matches at Ibrox — although that defeat was a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Napoli.

Croatia international Antonio Colak is the leading scorer in the Scottish Premiership this season, netting 10 times from nine matches, while he has scored three times from seven European outings (includes qualifying rounds).

Liverpool's 3-2 defeat at Arsenal means they are yet to taste success away from home this term, having also lost to Manchester United and Napoli while they were held at Fulham and Everton.

The Reds are 10th in the Premier League and their tally of just 10 points from eight games means this is the club's worst start to a league campaign for a decade, since 2012-13 when they accrued nine points from eight outings under Brendan Rodgers.

Jurgen Klopp's troops have been particularly sluggish and have found themselves trailing at half-time on six occasions already this season, having only been behind once at the break last term — at Manchester City in April.

Liverpool have conceded 12 times in the league this season, nearly half of the 26 goals they let in during the entire 2021-22 top-flight campaign, but they have still managed to score 25 goals across all competitions.

Team news

Alfredo Morelos has been struggling for sharpness in recent games and he could be replaced up front by Colak, who bagged a brace in Rangers' win against St Mirren on Saturday.

There could also be a return to the starting XI for American James Sands, who has served his one-game ban for his red card in the defeat to Napoli and may replace former Red Ben Davies in defence.

Liverpool are definitely without the services of Colombia winger Luis Diaz, who is set to be out until after the World Cup due to a knee injury picked up in the 3-2 Premier League defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.

It also looks like right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will be missing after he was taken off during the same match with an ankle issue, with his place expected to be taken by fellow Englishman Joe Gomez.

Prediction

With Rangers requiring a victory to keep qualifying hopes alive and Liverpool needing the points to try and secure their place in the top two, this could turn out to be a goal-feast at Ibrox on Wednesday.

The Gers may have failed to score in the Champions League but they have been hitting the mark in the Scottish Premiership, scoring no less than 24 times with 16 of those strikes coming on home soil.

Liverpool have conceded 11 times from their five away matches this season, highlighting the issues they are having at the back. 

But they have only failed to hit the back of the net in one of those encounters, therefore over 3.5 goals at 11/10 could prove prudent.