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Glasgow Live
Sport
Ben Banks

Liverpool's weakness for Rangers to exploit at Anfield pinpointed with 'mind-boggling' assessment

Rangers' James Tavernier might need to wait for his chance to strike against Liverpool - but it's the Reds who have a bigger problem on their right-hand side.

Former Scotland international James McFadden believes Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side are at their weakest when the captain makes his trademark runs down the right, but they might need to be more calculated at Anfield next Tuesday night when Rangers travel to Merseyside. Speaking to Open Goal, he doesn't put the blame for that at Tavernier's door but insists his runs forward might leave a door open for stars like Luis Diaz to exploit.

He explained: "You can't go and attack them. You can't play the way you normally play. Tavernier is the outball. But you see when they are in trouble it's inside him and Goldson, inside the full-back's.

READ MORE: Michael Beale tipped for Rangers return as Giovanni van Bronckhorst successor question answered

"Liverpool play three forwards, it's almost inside forwards, which you would think Rangers would be the ideal team to play against if they play their normal game as that's where the space is to exploit them. They have to change.

"I'm not putting blame on Tavernier as that's just how they play and if teams move it quick enough, that's where the gap is. Tavernier maybe needs to be a bit more conservative and wait for his moments."

A positive result is needed at the Premier League club if Rangers are to cling onto any realistic hopes of making the last 16 after defeats to Ajax and Napoli in their opening two games.

McFadden reckons Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is the player for attackers like ex-Red Ryan Kent to target after being left exposed at times in a mixed start to this term for Jurgen Klopp's team.

He explained: "Liverpool are probably more vulnerable to it on that side with Trent Alexander-Arnold as that's where they've lost games. They've been cut open in that area. If Ryan Kent is on his game, he can cause them problems.

"But he needs to wait for that opportunity to exploit the space Trent leaves, as you see some of the goals Liverpool have conceded, the boy goes by him and he's jogging in and waiting to see what happens.

"They're not firing as a team. The weakness isn't Trent is a bad player but the weakness is they play so high up the pitch, that if you can get at them quick, you are exploiting that weakness. Some of the wee clips of him trying to get back in are mind-boggling.

"Their weakness looks to be down the right-hand-side but as a team they haven't been near the level they can be and Trent is getting the blame of it."

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