Midfield change pays off
Given Liverpool’s troubled midfield options this season, it should perhaps be seen more an inevitability than a surprise.
Nevertheless, eyebrows were raised when it emerged Jurgen Klopp had opted to dispense with his normal engine room altogether here.
Rather than a nominal tweak in formation from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, a bold, attack-minded formation saw Fabinho, alarmingly off-colour against Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend, jettisoned with Jordan Henderson joining Thiago Alcantara as the two central anchors.
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Fabinho could have few complaints, his form this campaign well short of the high standards he has consistently set over the last few years. And it has been clear a change in system as well as personnel was required to shake Liverpool out of their early-season stupor.
It worked. Henderson, far more lively than at any other time this term, revelled in the deeper role, injecting tempo into Liverpool’s play and sniffing out the rare threat Rangers had before he was replaced midway through the second half, one eye no doubt on the weekend trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Thiago, meanwhile, showed two sides to his game, passing Rangers into submission first half while showing great willingness to get stuck into the dirty work after the break.
If a surprise here, it would be a major shock if Liverpool retain this formation for the Emirates. But the option is now there.
Salah moment reveals truth
It will never make a highlights reel. But there was as moment not long into the first half of this match that encapsulated a stirring evening for Liverpool.
With possession bouncing around in midfield, Mohamed Salah sprinted back to join the scrum and eventually emerged with the ball before heading back upfield.
Not, though, before the Egyptian had been given a huge roar of approval for his actions from skipper Jordan Henderson.
Any whispers Salah hasn’t quite possessed his usual appetite for endeavour this season were banished here with a hard-working display
The winger benefited from both the reshaped attack and the decision of Rangers to field a five-man defence, giving Salah more space than of late and the freedom to run at visiting wing-back Borna Barisic. There was only one winner in that battle.
Having been among many Liverpool players denied by Allan McGregor in the first half, Salah claimed the goal his display merited when coolly converting a 53rd-minute penalty after Luis Diaz had tricked Rangers youngster Leon King into a foul.
It’s now five goals and four assists in 11 matches this season for the Egyptian. Only Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne can boast more goal involvements for a Premier League club in all competitions this season. Clearly, reports of Salah’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Alisson and Trent prove worth
Alisson Becker was in danger of becoming bored, such was Liverpool’s almost complete control on the game.
But, as at the weekend, the Brazilian was given an opportunity to underline his importance, a late point-blank save from Rangers substitute Antonio Colak averting the possibility of a nervy finale.
It also ensured only a third clean sheet of the season, a much-needed balm to the wounds opened up by Brighton in a poor defensive showing at the weekend.
No Liverpool player suffered more than Trent Alexander-Arnold, despite Klopp pointing to the issues being collective rather than particularly individual.
The right-back, though, needed a good performance here. And after the early fillip of his sweetly-struck free-kick to send Liverpool on their way, Alexander-Arnold impressed both with his forward play and, more notably, some decisive and confident defending.
Both he and Liverpool needed this evening.
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