6 talking points as Alexander-Arnold and Salah fire Liverpool back on track

Liverpool returned to winning ways by making it back-to-back victories in the Champions League after beating Rangers 2-0.

Jurgen Klopp's side have made home advantage count in Group A, winning both of their home games following a 4-1 hammering away to Napoli on matchday one. Edging a 2-1 victory over Ajax before the international break, the Reds picked up a much more emphatic points this time around, just three days after their deflating 3-3 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

A lovely free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold with just seven minutes on the clock got Liverpool up and running, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst 's team were dealt an early blow which proved fatal. Mohamed Salah then tucked away a penalty to seal the win only eight minutes into the second half, significantly boosting the Reds' chances of reaching the knockout stage.

Here are six talking points from Anfield.

1. Ugly pre-match scenes

Before the football got under way, ugly scenes were on show as fans clashed with police outside Anfield. At least one arrest was made after disturbances broke out around two hours before kick-off, as the two British clubs met for their first ever competitive fixture.

Merseyside Police had devised a special plan for the match, as superintendent Dawn McNally explained to the Liverpool Echo that her team would have "additional resources in the city the night before the game" and "a large number of officers on duty" on matchday.

2. Trent's pinpoint response

You could say it was written in the script. After weeks of debate over his defensive deficiencies, Trent Alexander-Arnold reminded everyone of his attacking ability with a brilliant free-kick to give Liverpool the lead in the seventh minute.

As the Reds began rampantly, Darwin Nunez drew a foul from ex-Liverpool centre-back Ben Davies on the edge of the D. Up stepped Alexander-Arnold, who curled a beauty beyond the outstretched Allan McGregor. The 40-year-old Gers goalkeeper couldn't do anything about the sweet strike, which ripped of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's game-plan before his side could find their feet at Anfield.

3. McGregor heroics keeps Gers in it

Despite Liverpool's rapid start, they somehow only took a 1-0 lead into the break. And while the Reds will no-doubt feel that they could've been more clinical, McGregor single-handedly (or maybe two-handedly) ensured that Rangers still stood a chance of taking at least a point to Glasgow by half-time.

The veteran made a whopping six saves in the first 45 minutes, including three to deny Darwin Nunez a goal. The £68million striker, like his teammates, huffed and puffed in front of goal, but McGregor's experience trumped Nunez's youthful spark, sending the Uruguayan down the tunnel with a bee in his bonnet.

4. Salah reminds Anfield who's King

As often is the case for goalkeepers, sometimes you can only do so much. McGregor was left to lament that cold truth after Liverpool finally found a way to double their lead eight minutes into the second half.

18-year-old Rangers defender Leon King got naively stuck a leg out in his battle with Luis Diaz, bringing the Colombian down in the penalty area and giving French referee Clement Turpin no choice but to point to the spot. Mohamed Salah stepped up, coolly slotting the ball down the middle and rubber-stamping the Reds' deserved three points before the game petered out.

Have your say! How far will Liverpool go in the Champions League? Give us your prediction in the comments section.

5. Nunez's woes go on

On a night where plenty of Liverpool players boosted their confidence, Darwin Nunez remains in a rut. The 23-year-old, who began his Reds career so brightly with two goals in his first two games, has now failed to score in two months.

His already infamous sending off against Crystal Palace seems to have turned the tide, as Nunez was forced to sit out the next three Premier League matches for his headbutt on Joachim Anderson. The Uruguay international spent 80 frustrating minutes on the pitch on Tuesday, firing off six shots but failing to hit the back of the net - hardly what's expected of a £68m signing.

6. Brits' big difference

Having both begun the group stage with convincing defeats, only one British giant has managed to recover and looks set to reach the knockout phase of the Champions League. Responding to their hiding in Naples, Liverpool are firmly on course to follow the Italian league leaders out of the group at the halfway stage.

Rangers, meanwhile, sit rock bottom needing a miracle to advance. They'll hope that Ajax continue to flounder, having lost 6-1 at home to Napoli, who lead both Group A and Serie A after sensational start to the new season - unlike either side at Anfield.

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