ARFIELD IS IDEAL MAN FOR ANFIELD MISSION
Scott struck for Burnley against Reds and is keen to repeat the trick
SCOTT ARFIELD knows how it feels to score against Liverpool and deflate a buoyant Anfield atmosphere. The memory is easily recalled some five years on.
Repeating the feat in the Champions League against Jurgen Klopp’s success-seasoned class of 2022 will, Arfield readily admits, be a much tougher task. Even so, he feels only excitement about the immense challenge lying ahead.
Two Battle of Britain fixtures against Liverpool form twin highlights of a Group A assignment also containing meetings with Ajax and Napoli.
‘Big dogs’ is how Arfield describes those opponents. And he’s not wrong. But then Rangers’ own bark has also echoed recently through continental competition. While the Champions League is a step up in class, Arfield stresses there is still a responsibility to set sights as high as possible.
Confidence is obviously drawn from last season’s run to the Europa League final. And from the leadership of Giovanni van Bronckhorst — the man with a multitude of plans for these occasions. Time will tell whether it can all add up to another happy outing for Arfield against Liverpool.
In August 2016, he helped Burnley record a 2-0 home win over opponents in the first year of Klopp’s management. Thirteen months later, Arfield fired in the opener at Anfield before Mo Salah levelled in a 1-1 draw.
‘I remember only touching the ball two times and scoring,’ grinned the 33-year-old midfielder. ‘That was nice!
‘No, they are an amazing team.
‘They’ve got better since I played against them. They were always so hard to play against but, when I was down south, we felt you could get after them and win the games. We managed to do that on one or two occasions.
‘The atmosphere is always electric. In the four years since I have been up here, they have only strengthened their players and have everything going for them.
‘They are a super team, super well organised, and it’s definitely going to be a difficult task to take anything from them.
‘But we are always confident and always optimistic about our chances of playing against anyone. On the night, it will hopefully be a special night.’
In the 2017 draw against the Reds, Salah, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, James Milner and Roberto Firmino were on the Anfield pitch. The likes of Ragnar Klavan, Emre Can and Daniel Sturridge were also there but have long since departed.
Klopp’s squad overhaul has taken Liverpool to three Champions League finals in the last five seasons — winning the 2019 trophy — and made them the only team to interrupt Manchester City’s dominance of the English Premier League over the same period.
Little wonder, then, that Arfield didn’t place much stock in his previous successes when asked if he would draw on them come the Red reunion.
‘Nah, probably not,’ he replied. ‘You take that game in isolation. I would love to say aye but it doesn’t make any difference because it’s a completely different team.
‘It’s going to be a tough game but one we feel as if we can win, no doubt.’
Group A undoubtedly gives Rangers a chance to test themselves against the best. Given the quality on show, some might argue being competitive and nicking third place — with its Europa League parachute — would be an ideal outcome.
Arfield, though, doesn’t see any sense in confining ambitions before a ball has been kicked.
‘I think you always have to aim higher,’ he said. ‘You always have to do it, particularly at this football club.
‘I said this numerous times through the (Europa League) campaign last season, getting to the final, that no matter who we are drawn against we feel we can beat them.
‘As much as you are going into the greatest cup competition, that doesn’t change. We feel as if we can do something and hopefully get a bit of luck on different occasions, because it’s massive to also get that.
‘We want to be as competitive as possible.
‘The one that stands out is Liverpool as it is closer to home and the following down there is going to be sensational. They have been finalists numerous years and are one of the best teams in the world.
‘Now, we have the chance to show what we are all about.’
Rangers have become used to upsetting external expectations. They did it throughout the run to Seville and again on Wednesday night, when PSV Eindhoven were viewed as favourites to reach the Champions League after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox. Van Bronckhorst had other ideas. Not for the first time, his team selection and tactics were spot-on. There is faith in the manager to keep on getting it right.
‘Definitely,’ insisted Arfield. ‘I think you saw that more so last season, when we went to places like Dortmund and Leipzig and set up in different ways — probably ways that nobody ever expected us to do so, with three at the back, five at the back.
‘We definitely have different structures to play from. We can hit teams on the break or we can play further up and kind of suffocate teams like we do at Ibrox.
‘So he (Van Bronckhorst) has certainly brought a great level of intelligence to us as players in terms of playing for the structure. It can only help us going into these six massive games.’
For now, Rangers must ensure no further domestic slip-ups following last weekend’s dropped points in a controversial 2-2 draw against Hibernian.
There is a need to forget the midweek heroics in Eindhoven and quickly refocus on overcoming Ross County at Ibrox this afternoon.
‘That’s always the challenge,’ admitted Arfield. ‘But this game is as important as it was on Wednesday night.
‘I said this when we won the Scottish Cup at the back end of last season, after Seville.
‘The game against Annan in the first round of the cup was as important as Seville because you need to win every game here.
‘The challenge remains the same.
‘To be competitive, earn the right to play and don’t take your eye off the ball. Because if you do, it obviously sets you up for a disaster.
‘It’s important and not a game we’ll be taking lightly.’