A deadly double from striker Roberto Firmino and a hat-trick from substitute Mo Salah helped Liverpool secure all three points in tonight’s Champions League Group A, matchday four clash at Ibrox Stadium.
Brazilian star Firmino was on target in the 24th minute after Scott Arfield had given Rangers a sensational lead with a terrific goal which lifted the home support.
But after going in at the half-time interval level, Jurgen Klopp’s men shifted through the gears in a second half which saw them score six more times, with Firmino making it 2-1 on 55 minutes.
Darwin Nunez added a third after the hour mark before Salah was introduced and he bagged a sensational hat-trick in a blistering five-minute spell. Harvey Elliott then made it seven with a thunderbolt shot after VAR had allowed his effort to stand.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst made one change to the team that started against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership at the weekend, with former Anfield winger Ryan Kent returning and taking the place of Rabbi Matondo.
As is now the norm for these European occasions, the atmosphere inside Ibrox was electric pre-match as two giants of British football prepared for battle.
Liverpool got the action underway and two minutes in they showed how fired up they were, with centre-half Ibrahima Konate putting in a crunching challenge on Ryan Jack which winded the midfielder.
Rangers then started to push forward with intent, with Alisson Becker getting down to make a straight-forward save from Fashion Sakala before Ryan Kent curled a shot which narrowly missed the opposite top corner.
It was a positive start from the Light Blues with the majority of the first 15 minutes played in the visitors’ half, but could they make it count? The answer was yes, with Arfield finding the net with a brilliantly worked goal.
James Tavernier prodded the ball forward to Colak who touched it back to Jack. He then found Arfield with a defence-splitting pass and the Gers’ number 37 did the rest, powering a low shot across Becker and into the bottom corner of the net.
Ibrox erupted to celebrate the club’s first group stage goal this season but their joy was to be short-lived, with a poor equaliser conceded on 24 minutes.
Kostas Tsimikas - in front of the Copland Stand - delivered a teasing corner kick to the near post and Firmino was there to glance a header into the roof of Allan McGregor’s net from close range.
After getting their noses in front, Rangers now had to regroup and start again with Liverpool back in the game and on level terms.
Both teams had moments in the remainder of the half where they pushed forward, with Rangers having arguably the best chance to take the lead again in the 41st minute.
Sakala darted clear of Tsimikas on the right flank and his cutback found Arfield but his goal-bound shot was superbly blocked by Konate.
The first half ended on a disappointing note for Gers with Connor Goldson walking off tentatively after a lengthy period of treatment, with 18-year-old Leon King going on.
Liverpool came flying out the traps after the break, moving the ball sharply before John Lundstram brought down Harvey Elliott 25 yards from goal. Tsimikas, however, was wasteful, with his free-kick going high and wide.
It was better from Klopp’s men, however, and on 54 minutes they took the lead after a period of sustained pressure. Joe Gomez found space on the right wing and his low, curling delivery was perfect for Firmino who fired the ball through McGregor’s legs to make it 2-1.
With the away support now in full voice, van Bronckhorst was forced to make another change to his personnel, with the injured Ryan Jack going off and Steven Davis his replacement in the middle of the park.
On 65 minutes Liverpool made it 3-1 with Nunez getting his name on the scoresheet. Fabinho intercepted a long kick-out from McGregor and quick passes from Fabio Carvalho and Firmino saw the ball arrive at the Uruguayan’s feet. Without hesitation he produced an effortless, curling finish.
With confidence now sky and fresh legs also on the pitch, Liverpool made it 4-1 on 76 minutes, with Egyptian substitute Mo Salah the goalscorer this time.
The 30-year-old cut in from the right as he does so effectively and he slipped the ball under McGregor.
The Liverpool star was at it again on 79 minutes to make it 5-1. From 18 yards his left-foot had too much pace and power and flew past the Gers’ helpless number one.
Remarkably, Salah completed his hat-trick in a five-minute period and for his third he again cut in from the right and was allowed to curl a trademark left-foot shot across McGregor and inside the far post.
With the full-time whistle approaching, Harvey Elliott got Liverpool’s seventh goal on the night, the midfielder blasting a shot home to complete what was a ruthless and devastating second-half display from the visitors.
RANGERS: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson (King 44), Davies, Barisic; Lundstram, Jack (Davis 60); Sakala (Matondo 76) , Arfield. Kent (Wright 76); Colak (Morelos 76)
SUBS NOT USED: McLaughlin, McCrorie, Yilmaz, Sands, Devine, Tillman
GOALS: Arfield 17
LIVERPOOL: Becker; Gomez, Konate (Milner 79), Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 68); Henderson (Alcantara 68), Fabinho, Elliott; Firmino (Jota 73), Nunez (Salah 68), Carvalho
SUBS NOT USED: Adrian, Kelleher, Bajcetic, Phillips
GOALS: Firmino 24, 55 Nunez 66, Salah 76, 80, 81 Elliott 87
BOOKINGS: Gomez
REF: Slavko Vincic (SVN)