Liverpool v Rangers: Champions League – live - The Guardian

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an early free kick and Liverpool never looked back, restoring some confidence on an uneventful night at Anfield.

It’s always harsh to get a free kick and a first goal out of a set piece, but after that we stayed in the game.

That’s a great result for Liverpool.

Rangers are still looking for their first point, and their first goal, though those late brief cameos by Fashion Sakala, Rabbi Matondo and Antonio Čolak will give them hope for the return at Ibrox next week.

90 min +2: Salah breaks down the right but sends a weak curler towards the bottom left!

84 min: A Liverpool corner on the left.

Matip meets it and sends a powerful downward header inches wide of the bottom right.

80 min: No goal for Nunez, who goes off to a warm reception nonetheless.

Goal kick.

78 min: Tsimikas is sent into a bit of space down the left by Diaz, but his cross is easily cleared by Davies.

“Just wondering when the Liverpool fans are going to sing their version of ‘The Fields of Athenry’ to make their visitors feel at home?” wonders Niall O’Keefe, with perfect timing.

Nunez draws McGregor and cuts back for Diaz, who can’t slide home under pressure from Goldson.

72 min: Alexander-Arnold, quarterbacking from a deep position on the right, curls a sensational pass into the road of Diaz, free on the left.

69 min: Now Liverpool make a double change.

68 min: Morelos slips Barisic into space down the left.

Liverpool go up the other end through Diaz, who cuts in from the left and sends a low shot wide right.

He should get a corner, the ball taking a slight deflection off Jack, but it’ll be a goal kick to Rangers.

67 min: Sakala gets involved immediately, dribbling in from the right before dragging a poor shot miles wide right of goal.

65 min: Rangers can’t get out of their final third right now.

55 min: Diaz dribbles hard down the inside-left channel and slams straight into Goldson.

Play goes on, and Salah, sailing in from the right, attempts a curler into the bottom left.

Liverpool have a cushion.

Thiago slides in to whip the ball away and Liverpool counter.

Diaz scuttles into the Rangers area from the left.

50 min: Nunez tries a curler towards the top right.

The ball twangs out for a corner, from which Rangers break.

Davies slips the ball wide left for Kent, who looks for Morelos at the far stick.

The low cross sails harmlessly out for a goal kick.

46 min: Liverpool immediately launch it long down the left.

Anyway, just a free kick, nothing more?

Seeing we’re in Liverpool, and it was 60 years ago tomorrow ….

Liverpool lead at the break thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fine free kick.

Darwin Nunez has threatened a second goal, but Allan McGregor has denied him on several occasions.

45 min: Henderson launches Diaz on the attack down the left!

Jota fires low and hard towards the near post, the ball twanging off Nunez and out for a goal kick.

43 min: Diaz flicks Nunez into space down the middle.

41 min: More angst for Nunez, though this was much better.

Nunez, timing his run perfectly, in the style of Ian Rush, whips a first-time shot towards the bottom right.

40 min: Nunez bustles down the right and makes a bit of space for a cross, only to blooter clumsily over everyone’s head.

39 min: Salah’s movement earns Liverpool a corner on the right.

35 min: Diaz is allowed to sashay into the Rangers box from the left.

34 min: Henderson loops down the inside-left channel for Nunez, who brings it down nicely but isn’t so adroit with his shot.

Rangers will be reasonably happy right now.

It’s not particularly accurate, and bounces out harmlessly for a goal kick

Liverpool try to recycle possession but eventually run the ball out for a goal kick