Giovanni van Bronckhorst admits Rangers couldn’t cope with the speed and incision of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool during their 2-0 Champions League group-stage defeat at Anfield on Tuesday night, speaking to Rangers Review.
The so-called ‘Battle of Britain’ wasn’t so much a war, in the end. More like a mean-spirited sixth former stealing a blubbering eight-year’s lunch money.
Rangers, Europa League finalists last term, showed none of the spirit and the intensity that underpinned famous wins over Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig earlier this year; swatted aside with minimal fuss by a Liverpool side who never really had to creep out of second gear on home soil.
A sumptuous Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick gave Liverpool the lead just seven minutes in, with Mo Salah’s second-half penalty sealing the most comfortable and professional of 2-0 wins.
Rangers outclassed by Liverpool at Anfield
“We knew it was going to be a very difficult game,” Van Bronckhorst sighed at full-time. “With the attacking threat they have.
“They have players making runs almost every time they have the ball in space. I think the plan to have five at the back was a good one to narrow those spaces.
“We know it was going to be difficult when they play at high speed, (with) quick passing. The level we face is very high. And the level we had wasn’t enough to get something from the game.”
Rangers have mustered neither a point nor a goal in Group A. Even Europa League qualification feels unlikely at this stage. Especially with Ajax and Napoli both hammering the Glasgow giants in their previous meetings.
“It’s definitely down to the quality they have,” Van Bronckhorst adds when asked why Rangers struggled to cope with Liverpool.
“I think they can switch the play with every player in the back; (Virgil) Van Dijk, (Joel) Matip, Thiago, (Jordan) Henderson, Alexander-Arnold. He (Trent) can switch play out of nowhere.
“We knew it was going to be difficult. We’ve found it really hard to challenge the teams we are facing now. We are improving. And, hopefully, it will take us into the Europa League after the World Cup.”
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