Last year’s competition finalists proved too strong on the evening as a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and a Mo Salah penalty were the difference in Merseyside.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst made four changes to his team from Saturday’s Scottish Premiership victory over Hearts as Steven Davis, Malik Tillman, Leon King and Alfredo Morelos came into the starting line-up with Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Rabbi Matondo and Antonio Colak on the bench.
Rangers started at Anfield with Allan McGregor in goal and a back five of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Ben Davies, Leon King and Borna Barisic.
Steven Davis came back into the midfield alongside John Lundstram with Malik Tillman and Ryan Kent supporting striker Alfredo Morelos in attack.
Allan McGregor was called into action with just two minutes on the clock as the home side put Rangers under pressure from the whistle. Diogo Jota managed to play the ball into the path of Darwin Nunez and he released a powerful strike at goal but it was palmed away by McGregor.
Liverpool were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box in the 7th minute after Ben Davies tried to halt Nunez as Jurgen Klopp’s side pushed forward with another attack. England international Trent Alexander-Arnold stepped up and curled the ball with precision into the top corner and out of the reach of Allan McGregor in the Rangers goal to open the scoring.
The Liverpool attack was relentless in the opening period and with a ball from the back, goalkeeper Alisson fed in Mo Salah who fired a shot towards goal but McGregor matched the effort as he got a strong hand to tip the ball away.
Rangers had a free-kick on the edge of the box as the match approached the 20 minute mark after a lovely bit of play from Ryan Kent saw him brought down by Alexander-Arnold.
Unfortunately for Rangers they weren’t able to capitalise from the set-piece as Tavernier’s ball hit the wall before Kent struck over from the rebound.
McGregor again pulled off another fantastic save as he denied Liverpool their second goal of the game. Jordan Henderson lifted a ball over the top of the Rangers defence and into the path of Darwin Nunez who had made a driving run into the box.
The forward took a touch before directing a powerful shot towards goal but McGregor managed to raise a hand to block the effort.
The Rangers goalkeeper was called into action again shortly after as he held a curling shot from Luis Diaz. Nunez came close again as Mo Salah burst forward before playing in the striker but he was again denied by Allan McGregor.
It was a fantastic first-half performance from Allan McGregor, as Darwin Nunez again raced through on goal and directed a shot on target but the goalkeeper stood firm and blocked the effort.
Into the second-half, Rangers looked to break forward as Steven Davis won the ball back in a dangerous position and played in Ryan Kent on the left. The winger delivered a ball into the box, but striker Alfredo Morelos was just unable to get on the end of it as it drifted wide of Allison’s right-hand post.
Liverpool were awarded a penalty on the 52nd minute as French referee Clément Turpin pointed to the spot after a foul by Leon King on Luis Diaz inside the area. Mo Salah stepped up to the spot and doubled their advantage as he sent the spot-kick straight down the middle and into the back of the net.
Gio van Bronckhorst made two changes to his side with 25 mintues of the game remaining as he introduced Fashion Jr and Ryan Jack in place of Malik Tillman and Steven Davis.
Fashion Jr tried to make an instant impact as he picked the ball up on the edge of the Liverpool box and got a low shot away at goal but it was just wide of the post.
Antonio Colak was introduced shortly after by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, as he replaced Alfredo Morelos up front for the final quarter of the match.
Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz were next to link up for Liverpool as they played the ball forward at pace with Nunez cutting the ball back to the Colombian but his attempt was inches wide of Allan McGregor’s goal.
Rangers had their best chance of the match in the 85th minute as second-half substitute Rabbi Matondo saw his shot cleared off the line by Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas and out for a corner. From the set-piece the ball fell to Antonio Colak but his strike was blocked by Allison to deny Rangers a goal back late in this tie.
The Light Blues now turn their attention back to Scottish Premiership action with St Mirren the visitors to Ibrox on Saturday afternoon.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies (Kamara, 81), Barisic, King, Davis (Jack, 66), Lundstram, Tillman (Fashion Jr, 66), Kent (Matondo, 81), Morelos (Colak, 72).
Subs not used: McLaughlin, McCrorie, Ridvan, Devine, Arfield, Wright.
Liverpool: Allison, Van Dijk, Alcantara (Milner, 80), Salah, Henderson (Fabinho, 70), Jota (Firmino, 70), Tsimikas, Diaz, Nunez (Elliot, 80), Matip, Alexander-Arnold (Gomez, 90).
Subs not used: Adrian, Kelleher, Konate, Ramsay, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips.
Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA)
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