Rangers v Liverpool: Lay rocking Reds at Ibrox

Rangers need to make step up

Rangers made it all the way to the final of the Europa League last season to show that they can be a force outside the confines of the SPL.

But is the Champions League a step too far?

Delving back into history shows that they've scored just seven times in their last 16 Champions League games and in none of those matches did they find the net more than once.

They've also lost six of their last eight at home in this competition, the latest coming in a 3-0 reverse to Napoli.

They again failed to score against Liverpool at Anfield last week, barely laying a glove on the hosts until having a few brief moments late on.

Adding to those Napoli and Liverpool losses was a 4-0 away defeat Ajax so played three, lost three, scored none, conceded nine is about as bad as it could have gone.

Domestically, as you might expect, there's a huge contrast and they've won all five home games by a combined 16-1 margin.

Reds rocking after another away loss

The 'what has happened to Liverpool?' phone-ins went up another notch after their 3-2 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.

That loss left them in 10th place and somehow below Bournemouth, a team they thrashed 9-0 a few weeks ago.

On one level, losing 3-2 to the leaders with a couple of penalty decisions going against them doesn't sound that bad and yet things are clearly not right.

The problems have been exposed most away from home. The Reds have managed just two points out of 12 on the road in the Premier League while they were thrashed 4-1 at Napoli and it should have been more.

Thankfully for Jurgen Klopp, they've at least been decent enough at home in this competition, beating Ajax 2-1 and Rangers 2-0.

Another win here will put them in great position to qualify but can Liverpool be trusted on the road right now?

In addition, they have injury problems. Luis Diaz is out until after the World Cup while Trent Alexander-Arnold also limped off at the Emirates.

Punters have chance to oppose Liverpool

Plenty will want to take Liverpool on while they're in this form and the price is there to do so. They're just 1.392/5.

Rangers are 8.88/1 to add to the Reds' away-day misery while The Draw is 5.85/1.

It's easy to think that Liverpool's rich European history would include a chapter on them swatting Scottish teams to one side.

But the imagined gulf in class hasn't materialised. Seven away games against Scottish sides in all European competitions shows three wins for the Reds, two draws and two losses.

In addition, is a draw here that bad for Liverpool? It will keep Rangers stuck to the bottom and it's a fair guess that rampant Napoli will beat Ajax again having smashed them 6-1 in Amsterdam.

That would leave Napoli with 12 points, Liverpool with seven, Ajax with three and Rangers with one.

True, Klopp will be desperate to get back to winning ways but there's also the prospect of taking on Manchester City at Anfield next Sunday.

Does that mean Klopp will rather shuffle his pack for the trip to Ibrox?

Add in a more positive approach from Rangers this time and, all in all, I think there are enough doubts to take on the visitors so I'll lay Liverpool at 1.402/5.

Liverpool have scored in each of their last 11 UEFA Champions League group stage matches, and in a match where Rangers must secure at least a point, goals could be on the agenda.

Colak worth a look on Bet Builder

He may not quite be at Erling Haaland levels but Rangers striker Antonio Colak is knocking goals in for fun.

Two goals in the 4-0 home win over St Mirren at the weekend was his third straight domestic brace and the Croatian now has 10 SPL strikes to his credit.

Colak hasn't yet netted in the Champions League - no Rangers player has - but he did score home and away in the qualifier against PSV.

Obviously, this is a step up but Liverpool have conceded 11 goals in their five away games this season, including seven in their last two.

Colak to score in a draw on the Bet Builder is around 14.013/1.

Liverpool players are predictably short and Mo Salah just isn't playing well enough or scoring enough to be backed at odds-on at the moment.

Darwin Nunez scored against Arsenal so the Merseysiders will hope that is the start of a streak. He's also odds-on.

Perhaps the Liverpool value is with their defenders and Ibrahim Konate at 9/1 is interesting. He scored two Champions League goals last season.

On top of this, Opta tells us three of Liverpool's five UEFA Champions League goals this season have come from set-piece situations - (1x corner, 1x direct free-kick, 1x penalty), with both of their goals against Rangers coming via this method.

Konate to score in a draw is just under 85.084/1.