Van Bronckhorst\u2019s side did not seriously threaten Alisson\u2019s goal until the 85th minute when the substitute Rabbi Matondo had a shot hooked off the line by Kostas Tsimikas. The away supporters\u2019 renditions of God Save the King caused more consternation among the home crowd than anything their players produced on the pitch. Rangers were meek in the extreme and remain both pointless and goalless on their return to the Champions League stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was rehabilitation of sorts for Darwin N\u00fa\u00f1ez, however. Klopp had taken the Liverpool striker aside at training on Sunday and told the Uruguay international not to worry about the difficult introduction to his Anfield career. He backed up that reassuring message by handing the 23-year-old only a third start of the season, and as the focal point of a formation that was even more attack-minded than usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we can help the boys with a way to defend differently we will do that,\u201d the Liverpool manager said at his pre-match press conference. The answer was to dispense with Liverpool\u2019s customary three-man midfield and load the attacking third with Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis D\u00edaz all working off N\u00fa\u00f1ez, whose movement and work rate across the frontline impressed from the off. Jota, revelling in the space between Rangers\u2019 three central defenders and centre midfield, was also integral to Liverpool\u2019s complete first-half dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It made perfect sense to reintroduce N\u00fa\u00f1ez against a team that, after the opening two matches, had the joint-worst defensive record in the Champions League. The \u00a364m summer signing caught his first sight of McGregor\u2019s goal after merely two minutes. A snapshot from Jota\u2019s touch was straight at the veteran goalkeeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moments later N\u00fa\u00f1ez was fouled outside the area by the former Liverpool defender Ben Davies, who never played for the club prior to his \u00a34m move north of the border this summer. It was prime territory for Alexander-Arnold. The Liverpool right-back was denied a release from recent criticism when the Brighton goalkeeper, Robert S\u00e1nchez, saved his late free-kick from a similar position on Saturday. He would not be thwarted again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alexander-Arnold\u2019s intentions were clear as he lined up the set piece but McGregor, arguably leaving too much room to his right, was powerless to prevent a brilliant free-kick curling just inside the top corner. Alexander-Arnold, Klopp, everyone of a Liverpool persuasion inside Anfield in fact, savoured a timely demonstration of what the defender contributes as an attacking force. But that has never been in question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salah was close to doubling Liverpool\u2019s lead after being released down the right by a lovely first-time flick from N\u00fa\u00f1ez. The forward curled a low effort towards the far bottom corner but McGregor intervened with a fine save. The 40-year-old also denied N\u00fa\u00f1ez three times before the first half was out: at close range after Jordan Henderson floated a delightful ball over the Rangers\u2019 defence, with his legs when Salah threaded a fine pass into the area and from distance following a flowing move involving D\u00edaz and Jota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Trent](\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/58ababeb85e848bfef49b530fb91852d2c5e6e26\/0_29_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\")
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