Robert Snodgrass has warned Rangers there’s no chance of viewing their Battle of Britain opponents as the poor relations.
Gio van Bronckhorst’s team travel south to take on Jurgen Klopp's former Champions League winners tomorrow. The Light Blues will face a Reds squad valued at £830million - more than seven times the estimated worth of the Ibrox playing staff. But if Gers were hoping the Anfield side might give them a chance by taking their eye off the ball, former Premier League ace Snodgrass has told them to think again.
The Hearts midfielder - back in Scotland after 14 years down south starring with clubs including Leeds, Norwich, Hull, West Ham and Aston Villa - said: “I wouldn’t say there’s any snootiness, no. Definitely not. Anybody who has come up here has found it very difficult, because it’s a very fit league. Down south, the big thing is the size of the players. Some of them are huge. And a lot of Scottish lads going down there say that it takes a few months to adjust to the size.
“But everyone in English football loves the Old Firm, they respect the Scottish game – and recognise that it’s getting better and better. There is no chance of Liverpool taking Rangers lightly. No chance.
“Rangers are a big name, everyone knows what they did in reaching the Europa League Final last year. And just look at the size of the club.
“With the fans travelling down there, they will be expecting Rangers to go out there to compete – and believing that they can win.”
It was a painful afternoon on Saturday for Snodgrass as his Tynecastle debut ended in a 4-0 hammering for the Ibrox side. And the 35-year-old former Scotland ace has endured his fair share of sore days on Merseyside too.
His four appearances at Anfield all ended in defeat. A 3-2 loss with West Ham in February 2020 was as good as it got, with his other visits to the rampant Reds over the past decade resulting in four and five-goal punishments.
Snoddy said: “Anfield is probably one of the toughest places I’ve ever been. Rangers will know that.
“The atmosphere they create there, especially on a big European night, is really special. It’s impressive enough even just watching the games – but something else when you play them there.
“I’ve played Liverpool at Anfield a few times and it’s a very difficult place to go, even when you do well. I actually did my ankle there celebrating with West Ham, so that wasn’t great! I was playing against Andy Robertson, as well, so that’s always good.
“Liverpool and Man City are the two teams who are the very highest level, above every other side. If you get a result against them, you’ve done very well.
“Rangers will know how tough it can be there. But Liverpool haven’t started this season exactly the way they’d have wanted to. It’s two big clubs going at it. But, if Liverpool are at it, it will be a tough night for Rangers.
“They’ll want to keep the crowd quiet, give a good account of themselves – and show that they’re capable of playing at the very highest level of the Champions League. They had a great run in Europe last year, they’ve done really well.
“So there’s no doubt Rangers will head to Anfield believing they can get something from the game. It will be a good watch.”
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