At an age when most lads are playing Champions League on the PlayStation, Leon King was thrown into the real thing from the
start on Tuesday night and provided a reason to be cheerful on another tough night for Rangers.
Yes, Liverpool handed out another harsh lesson in reality with a 2-0 win that could have been doubled or trebled had Allan McGregor not defied Old Father Time and Darwin Nunez in equal measure with another collection of saves to add to his showreel. The keeper, at 40, might be in the twilight of his career but in front of him the kid who is 22 years younger and at the dawn of professional life showed a maturity and ability that suggests Rangers have grown a proper talent from their academy roots.
Gio van Bronckhorst’s decision to go with a back three – a back five in reality – meant a starting slot for 18-year-old King alongside Connor Goldson and Ben Davies. As learning curves go, it doesn’t get much steeper than trying to keep Nunez, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Mo Salah at bay and while Liverpool won comfortably, King produced a composed display that belied his lack of years and experience.
