The heavy season continues as the reds enter the final month before players depart for World Cup duty.
12 games in the next 32 days for a troubled Liverpool who were defeated 3-2 at the weekend away at league leaders Arsenal.
Compounding a disappointing result, Liverpool will have to do without Luis Diaz until after the farce in Qatar; Trent Alexander Arnold and Joel Matip are also set to miss a couple of weeks due to knocks collected at the Emirates Stadium.
A win tonight would go a long way to helping LFC qualify from their Champions League group but Rangers did enough in the final moments of last week's game to suggest they could pose a threat. Not to mention the fact this game will be held at a noisy Ibrox.
It seems unlikely that Klopp's side can immediately snap out of their immediate troubles - but they must at least show signs of fight and hopefully the quality will follow on. Three points would be incredibly welcome ahead of the visit of Manchester City on Sunday.
Here's how the game unfolded.
As it happened...
Liverpool amended their formation in an attempt to deal with a lack of available midfielders last week and it worked as they beat Rangers 2-0.
It was Trent Alexander-Arnold who got the reds off to the perfect start with his goal direct from a free kick.
But the Scouse right back won't be involved tonight, along with Joel Matip and Luis Diaz.
A reminder of how the group looks at the half-way stage.
Group A pic.twitter.com/NpepeQZ1Si
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) October 4, 2022
The Under 19s have been in action in the UEFA Youth League, which features the same teams and groups as the senior Champions League.
Ben Doak's 80th minute goal sealed a 4-3 win for the Liverpool side who now need just a point in their next game against Ajax to seal qualification to the next phase.
Oakley Cannonier, two goals, and Melkamu Frauendorf had helped the reds to a comfortable 3-1 lead, before Lee Jonas was sent off in the second half and Rangers got it back to 3-3 before the reds late winner.
While we're waiting for the team news, here's that Ben Doak winner in the Under 19's game.
I'm sure the former Celtic academy player enjoyed scoring the winner over Rangers!
Liverpool have a special talent in Ben Doak! ✨
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 12, 2022
The Scot, all too familiar with football in Glasgow, twists and turns before firing into the corner.#UYL pic.twitter.com/sxsGHx6Vy1
Konate and Gomez both come into defence.
Alisson, Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Elliott, Carvalho, Firmino, Nunez.
Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Thiago, Milner, Salah, Jota, Robertson, Bajcetic, Phillips.
They have decided to go with Fashion Sakala and Antonio Colak from the start here. Morelos dropping to the bench.
McGregor, Tavernier, Lundstram, Goldson, Jack, Colak, Kent, Davies, Sakala, Barisic, Arfield
Subs: McCrorie, McLaughlin, Yilmaz, Davis, Matondo, Morelos, Wright, Devine, King
Napoli beat Ajax 4-2. That's four wins out four and they qualify for the knockout stage.
The anthems have been played.
Game on.
Underway at Ibrox!
3' Great tackle from Konate on Ryan Jack.
But he's a big man is Ibrahima. Jack a little winded from the fall.
6' Sakala with a scuffed attempt and then Ryan Kent curls one wide.
13' Good break by Elliott through the middle. He lifts the ball over to Nunez who tries to flick it across to Firmino, but the Uruguayan was offside.
Maybe should have gone for the first time shot in any case.
17' Liverpool spending a lot of time watching Rangers ping the ball around them.
17' It's 1-0 for Rangers.
Carvalho loses the ball in the middle of the pitch. Couple of seconds later Arfield puts it in the bottom corner.
LFC, yet again, concede the first goal.
21' Rangers almost in again.
Poor passback from Gomez and Colak almost sneaks in there. Sloppy defending.
23' Better move from Liverpool and Carvalho drills that one just past the post.
24' BOBBY FIRMINO equalises.
Tsimikas with a corner - whips it in to the near post with his left foot and Firmino rises above Tavernier to score.
1-1.
38' Liverpool's goal has levelled this game a bit in terms of possession too.
But there are still too many crosses coming in at Liverpool's defence and some of the balls played out are just not finding red shirts. Needs to be better.
43' Sakala puts on the afterburners and he leaves Tsimikas in his dust.
Crosses the ball but thankfully Konate is there to block the shot.
Very dangerous.
44' Connor Goldson looks like he might have done his hamstring here - involved in a race with Darwin Nunez.
He goes off and is replaced by Leon King.
HT: Rangers 1-1 Liverpool
Rangers started the better and obviously Liverpool let them score the opening goal.
Tsimikas corner found Bobby 'The Goal Machine' Firmino who headed in to equalise.
But Liverpool are perhaps fortunate to be level at the break. Some sloppy defending and midfielder not providing much support for our forwards.
Needs to improve.
Back underway.
50' Liverpool earn a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the corner of the box.
Henderson and Tsimikas have a discussion and in the end Kostas gets the nod to balloon it miles above the crossbar.
Really poor.
55' Gomez finally advances down the right and his low ball and it's, who else, but Bobby Firmino who puts it away.
2-1.
Best in the world is Bobby Firmino.pic.twitter.com/LaWyTlrWmb
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) October 12, 2022
66' McGregor plays the ball straight out to Fabinho. Falls to Firmino who flicks it with his back foot and Nunez curls it in the net.
Looked like a mess about in training.
3-1!
67' Henderson, Tsimikas and Nunez off.
Thiago, Robertson and Salah on.
71' Thiago dinks a little ball over the top and it falls to Salah. Just the keeper to beat... hits it at the keeper.
An in-form Mo scores that.
72' Firmino, with two goals and an assist, heads off.
An excellent performance from him.
On comes Diogo Jota.
75' A positive passage of play sees Elliott curl that just over the bar. Good move and good attempt.
Liverpool looking comfortable now.
75' THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!
Ball bounces off Jota and great control from Salah and then he toe-pokes that in nicely.
4-1. All done here.
78' Konate replaced by Milner. Gomez moves across to the middle for the final minutes of this game.
80' Too easy. Fabinho and Thiago involved in the build up but Salah receives the ball. Stands on it, dispenses with the three Rangers players around him, and slots it past McGregor.
So simple.
5-1.
82' Mo Salah's hardly been on but he's made it 6-1.
That's a hat-trick in 6 minutes and 12 seconds!
Wow. He's in the mood today.
87' It's 7-1.
Harvey Elliott puts the ball in the net. Flag goes up. VAR Check and it's given.
That's his first Champions League goal.
The quickest hat-trick ever in the Champions League.
3 goals in 6 minutes 12 seconds from Mo.pic.twitter.com/b94hgF4p9T
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) October 12, 2022
FT: Rangers 1-7 (SEVEN) Liverpool
The first 20 minutes was dreadful. It got better when Firmino equalised.
Second half started a bit dicey but suddenly Liverpool flicked a switch - probably the Bobby Firmino switch - and accelerated away with the game.
Mo Salah came on and banged in the quickest ever Champions League hat-trick. Then Elliott added a 7th.
Absolutely mad.
Liverpool need a point to guarantee qualification.
Rangers can't qualify.
Thanks for joining us for a game that started bad, improved, got good, got great.
Liverpool were on song today but they still have some tough games ahead and a lot of improving to do - certainly in terms of how they start games.
But let's enjoy tonight. Rangers heaviest home defeat in European history and of course, Firmino's excellent contributions and the competitions fastest hat-trick, courtesy of Mo Salah.
Let's hope he is BACK!
