Super-sub Mohamed Salah scores six-minute hat-trick as Liverpool run riot at Ibrox
Ibrox #Ibrox
As a great goalscorer, and a man who has decided the course of the big prizes, Mohamed Salah’s part in the history of English football has long since been assured – and now on this strange night of wonder for Liverpool, their No 11 has a little slice of Scottish football history too.
Salah was sent on as a substitute by Jürgen Klopp in the 67th minute with the game already won and having been left out of the team with bigger challenges in mind. He went on to score the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history: a spectacular crescendo to the game over the space of 6min 12sec, a unique event, a crackle of electricity through Liverpool’s season. An adequate performance became something completely different and launched Klopp’s players into a weekend when they must contend with the great boulder of modern Manchester City bouncing towards them.
Klopp would say later that City are “the best team in the world”, and indeed, no-one has yet found many answers to what they represent, although Salah provided Liverpool with something tangible. It was at the very least a note of defiance that, having offered the greatest resistance to the Pep Guardiola era, this Liverpool side are not yet ready to slip beneath the waves. Before Salah’s three goals there were two from Roberto Firmino, the game’s outstanding player until the lightening of that hat-trick.
The seventh came from Harvey Elliott, a teenager who has been pushed forward through necessity and looks to have that elusive combination of quality and confidence in the crucial moments. There were five goals in 20 second half minutes, the first of them from Darwin Núñez – hunting a goal for so long now he would have expected to have been the story of the night when at last it came on 66 minutes. But as he passed Salah on the touchline, in a switch that immediately followed, it turned out that there was so much more to come.
Salah now has more Champions League goals for Liverpool than any single player has scored for an English side. “Special,” said Klopp, “typical Mo, eh?” Klopp called it a “freak result” but when you sew the parts together – a return to form for Firmino, the Salah hat-trick, it feels much more real than that. “Mo came on and is on fire and interprets the position really well,” Klopp said, “in the right areas”. Salah has been playing wider of late and his last league goal was in the defeat to Manchester United on Aug 18.
“We all know when it is running for Mo he is exceptional – absolutely exceptional,” Klopp said. “Obviously it was a different position for him, coming on. I hope everything works for him from now on, like I hope it does for us.”
Klopp had made six changes to the team that lost to Arsenal. Remarkably four of them were fitness related – the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Díaz and Joël Matip through injury already well trailed. Not known was the fact that Diogo Jota was not fit enough to play more than a late substitute’s role.
This is still a season ravaged by injuries and Klopp has to weigh all that up when he faces City on Sunday, that grooved team of no obvious weakness – and yet. Salah in this relentless form is a wildcard against even the most daunting of opposition. It was also the strange way that this performance presented itself, disguised behind a first half performance so mediocre that Rangers were still very much in the game at half-time.
Indeed, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team had just as much possession by the break and had created more chances, including the first goal scored by Scott Arfield. They lost Connor Goldson to injury just before the break and that seemed to take on a disproportionate significance. It had barely been a classic in the first half but there was no hint that this was to turn into the heaviest defeat at Ibrox in Rangers’ history and equal to their worst of all-time against Celtic – the same scoreline in the 1957 League Cup final at Hampden Park.
Klopp had chosen Elliott and Fabio Carvalho to start and both looked much better when the whole team raised the pace of the game in the second half. Elliott’s goal in the very last moments was originally flagged offside in the frenetic end to the game. As the Var review dragged Elliott stood in the middle of the pitch looking up at the screen with his fingers crossed and Salah’s arms around him. It felt more like the painful anticipation of exam results than the wait for his first Champions League goal.
By then the Rangers support had already seen enough, although it had not started like that. Liverpool had looked the more dysfunctional in the first half. Arfield had driven forward with the ball for Rangers’ goal on 17 minutes: a turnover of possession and Antonio Colak headed the ball down to Ryan Jack who served up the assist. Jack would also later go off injured as Rangers collapsed.
It was the kind of defeat that will ask questions of Van Bronckhorst’s position. This is a team that reached the Europa League final last season and are now already out of the Champions League with two games left to play. In the first half Ryan Kent, the former Liverpool academy boy was a menace and Fashion Sakala got the better of Kostas Tsimikas more than once. Then it fell apart.
Tsimikas’ corner found Firmino who barely had to jump to guide the ball in for the first half equaliser at the near post. Meanwhile, Nunez was struggling with confidence, especially after a wild challenge from Goldson went unpunished. He flew into the ball and rolled over it, landing his studs on the leg of the striker.
After half-time it was a different Liverpool playing at a pace with which Rangers could not live. Firmino scored from a fine Gomez cross and then created the third for Núñez. Salah could not miss with his three goals in six minutes. Elliott’s goal felt even crueller on Rangers but the great sides always want more.
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10:44 PM Giovanni van Bronckhorst speaks with BT Sport
Of course it was a very disappointing result. We were playing well first half, we were in the game.
In the first half we played more directly and created some good chances. The further the game went, the more we kept playing short, and you get the pressure, and in those moments we didn’t do well.
We tried to push after the 3-1 but you could see we were struggling because they upped the tempo. We were not accurate with our passing, and that’s why we conceded so many goals
I’m just processing this defeat, that’s all I’m thinking at the moment.
10:32 PM Jurgen Klopp speaks with BT Sport
I liked the first half already. It was well played. The reaction was good. In our good spells in the first half we played well between the lines. It would have been pretty exhausting for Rangers to defend us in these moments.
To be honest, I didn’t see a lot of players tonight who didn’t play really well. Everybody was spot on. It could’ve been a lot more difficult and we knew that.
Of course it’s better to get some confidence but we have to prove consistency, we know that. We know what we have to do [against Man City on Sunday] and we will give it a try.
Mo Salah has scored 38 Champions League goals for Liverpool, now the most by any player for an English club in the competition, surpassing Didier Drogba for Chelsea and Sergio Agüero for Man City (both 36).
… he’ll surely have Erling Haaland breathing down his neck.
10:24 PM The post-match facts from Opta aren’t good reading for Rangers
10:19 PM Kenny Miller speaks with BT Sport
It’ll be soul-destroying for them. Moving forward, an injury to Connor Goldson will be a big big loss.
There are still little things to play for [in Europe], and then domestically there are league games, cup games.
They’ve got to dust themselves down and get going again for the weekend.
10:15 PM Firmino assist stat
No player has assisted more Champions League goals for Liverpool than Roberto Firmino (12, level with Steven Gerrard and James Milner.
10:08 PM Virgil van Dijk speaks to BT Sport
We had to play with composure. Sometimes we didn’t, but in the second half we did it much better.
[Our forwards] showed the quality we need for the rest of the season. Everyone expected us to win here, but we’re in a tough period and will take it game by game.
That’s how we will approach the big one on Sunday. [Manchester City] are in fantastic form, but we will prepare well and be ready for Sunday.
10:02 PM Liverpool now all but qualified
Victory that means Liverpool are second in Group A, and need just one point from their final two matches to be sure of a spot in the knockout stages, while Rangers are bottom, without a single point.
10:01 PM The main man is back 09:53 PM Full time: Rangers 1 Liverpool 7
This is Liverpool’s night, they were fantastic in the second half and Rangers are dumped out of the Champions League.
It’s the biggest-ever home defeat for Rangers in Europe. They follow Celtic out of the competition.
Klopp will be pleased – they needed a result like this. They were outstanding.
Rangers free kick after a foul from Gomez. He gets a yellow, there’s a Var check for a potential red, but the ref sticks with his original decision.
Just one minute of added time to come.
09:49 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 7 (Elliott, 86)
Harvey Elliott’s made it seven after a Var check. A total rout at Ibrox – although there are not many Rangers fans left.
Jota plays Elliott in to his right and he picks his spot past McGregor with ease.
It’s his first-ever Champions League goal and he’s delighted.
09:46 PM This from Chris Bascombe at Ibrox
“What did you say to the players at half-time, Jurgen?”
That will be the first question in the press conference. it’s not quite as dramatic as Istanbul-turnaround at Ibrox, but one has to presume some serious home truths were delivered to the Liverpool players given the second half transformation. Liverpool have looked like Liverpool again, outclassing Rangers.
09:42 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 6 (Salah, 81)
The main man is back! Salah has just got a 6 minute and 12 second hat-trick.
He picks the ball up on the edge of the Rangers box and curls it beyond McGregor, taking it past him on his far post. McGregor is grounded.
09:41 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 5 (Salah, 80)
Salah with a lovely fifth for Liverpool.
He’s played in on the edge of the Rangers box, takes a couple of touches before stopping the ball and allowing his man to overrun before picking his spot perfectly past McGregor.
09:37 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 4 (Salah, 75)
Salah the man for the fourth!
The ball flips up on the right-side of the box after Rangers attempt to defend a Liverpool attack. A lovely first touch from Salah to bring the ball down, he takes a couple of touches, on a tight angle, but manages to toe-poke with his left foot and put the ball beyond McGregor.
09:34 PM 70 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 3
Liverpool come forward, Salah is played in and gets a shot away inside the 18-yard box, saved, McGregor doing so with his feet, although not sure he knew too much about that.
Rangers charge forward on the counter-attack, Sakala the man crossing in towards Colak, but the final ball is hooked away by Konate. Rangers are appealing for something here, perhaps a handball? But the replay shows that there’s nothing on it.
09:29 PM 67 mins: A trio of Liverpool subs
Off: Nunez, Henderson, Tsimikas.
On: Salah, Thiago, Robertson.
09:28 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 3 (Nunez, 66)
Nunez with a rolled-finish into the far corner, easy as you like.
Absolutely clinical, but the assist from Firmino was just as special – a back heel from Firmino to Nunez to his left, who just slots it past McGregor, first time.
09:25 PM Liverpool’s goal 09:22 PM The ref’s having a word with the Liverpool subs
It looks like he’s claiming they’ve stepped onto the pitch.
09:19 PM 59 mins: Rangers sub
Steven Davis comes on for the injured Ryan Jack.
09:19 PM 58 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Carvalho gets to the byline and tries to cross one in, Davies with the header…
Elliott gets a shot away moments later from the edge of the area. Not a bad effort, but McGregor is firm to it.
09:16 PM 56 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Jack has gone down, he’s holding his calf. It doesn’t look good for the Rangers midfielder.
He’s going to have to come off.
09:15 PM GOAL! Rangers 1 Liverpool 2
Firmino!!! He gets his second of the night.
Gomez with a magnificent assist, Trent AA-esque. He’s fed down the wing by Elliott, charges up the right flank with the ball and puts a perfectly-weighted crossed ground ball into the Rangers box which bends around King and falls to Firmino for a tap-in.
A lovely turn by Firmino who slips in Nunez on the edge of the Rangers box. He tries to get a shot away but he can’t get it away from Davies.
09:11 PM Chris Bascombe at Ibrox
Thirty seconds into the second half and it is obvious Klopp has given his players the hair dryer treatment. A yard quicker from kick-off. Will it last…
09:10 PM 50 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Tavernier pops in an inviting cross from the right. It’s headed down into the middle of the box from the far post and is just about to fall to Jack before van Dijk gets his foot in.
09:09 PM 49 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Nunez takes the free kick with his left foot but totally skies it. Wasted.
09:08 PM 48 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Elliott feeds Gomez on the edge of the box, but the pass is slightly behind him and he has to do some work to get that under control. He gets a shot away but it’s easily blocked by the Rangers defence.
Liverpool come again and Lundstram goes in late on Elliott to give Liverpool a free kick in a threatening position a few yards off the right corner of the 18-yard box. Liverpool have started this second half brightly.
09:04 PM Second half
Begins. Rangers get us back under way.
08:55 PM Arfield’s goal 08:50 PM Half time: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Chris Bascombe is at Ibrox:
This has been a breathtakingly terrible Champions League game. Liverpool can be grateful for the slack Rangers defending from a corner which allowed Roberto Firmino to equalise, but the number of times both sides have lost possession is almost a crime against such an elite competition.
Fashion Sakala has the beating of Liverpool left back Kostas Tsimikas, giving Rangers hope of a famous victory. Liverpool might be able to impose some class if they start to pass to each other in sequences of more than five.
The early departure of Connor Goldson due to injury will please Darwin Nunez, who had a running battle with the centre-back throughout the first half. If the DJ has any sense of irony he will play, ‘Things can only get Better’ at half-time.
Nunez tries to ping one into Elliott from outside the box, but it’s overcooked and goes out for a goal kick. Probably tried a harder ball than was necessary there.
08:47 PM 45+1 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Tsimikas sends one into the Rangers box from the left, four red shirts in there. But it’s too close to McGregor who comes out to catch the cross.
08:45 PM 45 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Three minutes of added time to come.
08:44 PM 43 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
A real shame for Goldson here. It looks like he’s pulled a muscle and he’s going to have to come off.
Leon King will come on for him.
Konate with a great sliding block. Sakala down the right-hand side, he gets past Tsimikas and puts a ground ball into the middle of the box which Arfield hits first time. It’s destined for the net, but Konate slides in at the right time to block.
08:42 PM 41 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Rangers corner, Barisic sends it in from left. Konate deals with it at the back post – he’s been so commanding in that position for Liverpool.
08:41 PM 39 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Colak sends a ball into Kent on the counter after Liverpool’s attack breaks down.
The ball from Colak on the edge of the Liverpool box is poor though, or perhaps he was expecting Jack to burst closer to the six-yard box.
08:39 PM 37 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Alisson plays a sloppy ball to Henderson, which is pounced upon by Rangers. Liverpool manage to push them back. That was reckless from the Liverpool keeper.
08:37 PM 35 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Sakala fouled by Tsimika on the right, wide free kick from 30 yards out, whipped in by Tavernier.
Flag goes up as the ball is sent in. Sakala went too early.
08:36 PM 33 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Rangers looking more lively in the past couple of minutes. They win a corner by putting Gomez under pressure down their left, definitely looking the more promising side to go through.
A couple of nice crosses into the Liverpool box, but there’s lack of blue shirts in there to make anything more of it.
08:33 PM 32 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 1
Forward balls are drying up for Rangers as the visitors are getting further into this.
Liverpool have tightened up, and Rangers seem to be lacking in options.
08:31 PM Firmino’s goal 
Roberto Firmino with a delicate header on the front post from a very well-placed Tsimikas corner.
He gets just ahead of Tavernier, but he only needed a glancing one and it’s beyond McGregor.
08:23 PM 23 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 0
Carvalho with an effort from just outside the D. The ball comes from him from his left, into him from Fabinho.
Carvalho turns, wraps his foot around the ball, but it’s just wide.
Another shooting chance for Carvalho, a mistake from Tavernier giving the ball away. Deflected behind for a Liverpool corner on the right.
08:22 PM 20 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 0
Joe Gomez with a dodgy back pass while under pressure, and completely blind to Alisson… Colak gets a nibble on it, a scare for Liverpool, but nobody is there to latch onto it.
08:20 PM 19 mins: Rangers 1 Liverpool 0
Elliott is playing really high, allowing Arfield to drop into that space behind. Liverpool will need to tighten up if they are going to prevent Rangers from undoing them again.
Chris Bascombe on the goal:
Another game, another fixture where Liverpool concede first. Klopp’s problems will not be sorted while his side habitually give the opponents a one goal lead. It had been a turgid game until Scott Arfield’s Rangers’ opener – suiting the hosts as the quality was more Scottish Premier than Champions League. Well taken goal, though.
08:19 PM GOAL: Ranger 1 Liverpool 0 (Arfield, 17)
Finally Rangers score in the Champions League. Arfield delivers at Ibrox!
Jack puts a ball into space, beyond Konate, spotting Arfield getting into that pocket just outside the D. He takes one touch before picking his spot in the bottom-left corner beyond Alisson.
Jack hooks one into the six-tard box, but it’s easy for Alisson to gather there.
It’s early doors, but evidence so far suggests a tighter contest tonight.
08:16 PM 14 mins: Rangers 0 Liverpool 0
Rangers look like they’re setting up a lot more directly tonight, Goldson, who started his career at Shrewsbury Town, has just hoofed one up looking for Jack and Sakala on the right, but it’s overcooked.
Rangers are winning significantly more second balls tonight too.
08:14 PM 13 mins: Rangers 0 Liverpool 0
Good run by Elliott, he clips the ball over the Rangers defence to Nunez to his right on the inside-channel of the Rangers box, Nunez then squares it, but Davies is in there first… flag went up anyway, Nunez marginally off in the pass from Elliott.
08:11 PM 9 mins: Rangers 0 Liverpool 0
Jack tries a ball in to Colak in the Rangers box. It’s headed away and Firmino will build from the back.
Nunez fouls Goldson on the halfway line. Rangers free kick.
08:06 PM 4 mins: Rangers 0 Liverpool 0
Lundstram spreads a ball from left to right, picking out Sakala on the other side of the pitch as he enters the Liverpool box. He’s picked his man perfectly there. Sakala is shadowed closely by Tsimikas, but the Rangers man shimmies and gets a shot away. Saved by Alisson.
Kent follows up with an outside of the box effort moments later and is only just off with his shot, aiming for the top-right corner. Much more positive from Rangers so far. Remember they have to avoid defeat tonight if they are to stay in the tournament.
08:03 PM 2 mins: Rangers 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool getting settled into this, making sure everyone gets an early touch.
Konate’s gone in on Jack on the halfway line, the ref deeming it a foul for the first free kick of the match.
08:01 PM Kick off!
Liverpool get us going.
Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic officiates this evening.
08:00 PM A show of unity in the stands 
Cue the flames and Champions League anthem. A reminder of the teams:
Rangers (4-3-3-1): McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Jack, Lundstram, Sakala, Arfield, Kent, Colak.
Subs: Yilmaz, Davis, Matondo, Sands, Morelos, Scott Wright, McCrorie, McLaughlin, King, Devine, Tillman.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Henderson, Fabinho, Elliott, Firmino, Nunez, Carvalho.
Subs: Thiago, Milner, Salah, Adrian, Jota, Robertson, Bajcetic, Phillips, Kelleher.
Today we have to start right and try to attack them.
We have had great experiences in Europe this season and last season, and the atmosphere can be really good. But it’s only good when you perform as well on the pitch.
They are through to the knockout stages. Standings in Group A:
[On the changes]: Half an eye to the weekend. We have to realise we are in the middle of a very busy period.
[On Andrew Robertson, Scotland’s captain]: So far he looks pretty calm, I’m not sure how much that will change.
[On the Rangers starting XI]: I think it’s nearly the lineup they had at the weekend. But yes, they will go for it 100%.
They have scored just seven goals in their last 16 Champions League games, and never more than once in a game in that run.
Can Ibrox be a fortress tonight?
Ibrahima Konate starts for the first time this season. Joe Gomez also comes into defence, while Fabio Carvalho, Harvey Elliott and Fabinho return in midfield. Roberto Firmino starts in attack.
Mohamed Salah starts on the bench.
07:20 PM Giovanni van Bronckhorst
We all know Liverpool really well because of all the games they play in the Champions League and Premier League.
We are playing against a strong side. We have to find more moments in the game when we can be dangerous.
Of course our approach will be different tomorrow because we need points to hopefully play after the break in Europe.
But, we are still going to be up against a very good side.
Experience is a word I never liked when I was growing up. I just think it’s ability.
All-in-all we need to be individually and collectively a lot better [than last week].
07:10 PM Rangers must avoid losing tonight if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive
They’ve lost all three of their matches in Group A.
07:08 PM The game in this group tonight kicked off at 5:45pm
It’s currently Napoli 3 Ajax 1.
Luciano Spaletti’s Napoli, who won their first three group matches, will go through to the knockout stages if they win tonight.
07:03 PM This from Chris Bascombe at Ibrox…
Excellent show of solidarity in Rangers press room with Scouse on the menu. Good to see there is no ill will in Glasgow following last week’s Eurovision.
Ryan Kent returns to the team and Rabbi Matondo drops out.
06:51 PM Rangers’ starting XI for tonight
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Lundstram, Goldson, Jack, Colak, Kent, Davies, Sakala, Barisic, Arfield
Subs: McLaughlin, Yilmaz, Davis, Matondo, Sands, Morelos, Wright, McCrorie, King, Devine, Tillman
06:49 PM Chris Bascombe is at Ibrox for Telegraph Sport this evening
No Mohamed Salah in the Liverpool starting line-up tonight – a decision taken with Sunday’s visit of Manchester City in mind. It was always unlikely Klopp would risk all four of his strikers. Instead, there is another opportunity for youngsters Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliott who will take up wide midfield/attacking roles.
Klopp will be especially keen for Fabinho to return to form. His recent dip is one of the reasons Liverpool have struggled this season.
06:47 PM The teams are in: Liverpool’s starting XI
Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Elliott, Carvalho, Firmino, Nunez.
Subs: Kelleher, Adrian, Thiago, Milner, Salah, Jota, Robertson, Bajcetic, Phillips.
05:24 PM Good evening!
The injury issues mount for Jurgen Klopp as Luis Diaz is now expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks after sustaining a knee injury in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal last Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold also had to bow out early in the defeat at the Emirates after damaging his ankle and he will probably be missing for two to three weeks. It sounds minor, but such is the pre-World Cup fixture congestion, Liverpool have seven matches between now and November 1 – all of which Alexander-Arnold could miss.
Joel Matip has a calf problem and will not be available for the match in Glasgow this evening.
These three join Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and on-loan Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo on the injury list. Andy Robertson will be in the squad, returning from a period on the sidelines, but it’s probably too soon for Curtis Jones.
Speaking on Tuesday, Klopp said: “It is not great, but it is the situation and we have to deal with it and we will.
“I can’t promise we will fly tomorrow but we will fight,” he said. “It didn’t become easier since Sunday because of the injuries but the team I saw today in training I liked a lot. Let’s give it a go.”
Liverpool eased to a 2-0 win over Rangers at Anfield last Tuesday night but Klopp expects a different game against Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.
He said: “We fought against Arsenal really hard and that is what we will do (against Rangers) because we have to.
“Rangers, not only what Giovanni said in the press conference or interviews, want to put things right and get points in the Champions League group.
“They tried it with a defensive approach and five at the back and now they want to attack and go for it in a great atmosphere. I am really excited to experience that.
“It is a tough game in a different competition and that is what we have to do.”
Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday and have a trip to Tottenham Hotspur coming up next month, as well as the remaining Champions League group fixtures against Ajax and Napoli.