Rangers media partner gush over ‘bright spark’ Leon King after Liverpool defeat
Rangers suffered their third defeat in three Champions League group stage matches on Tuesday as they were brushed aside by Liverpool.
Goals either side of the break from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah were enough to see Jurgen Klopp’s side take all three points at Anfield as the Light Blues were pinned back for much of the game.
With a lot of defending to do, it was only natural that one of the back five shone on Merseyside with the club’s official media partners Heart and Hand mightily impressed by Leon King.
“One bright spark. This kid has a real shot of being a top player,” they said via Twitter. “Assurance to play the way he did against that quality as a teenager? Well done son. Make the spot your own.”
The teenager did concede the penalty converted by Salah in the second half but recovered from that mistake extremely quickly and proved that he can handle the biggest of occasions.
Bold
Despite the defeat, Giovanni van Bronckhorst does deserve some credit for backing the 18-year-old on one of the biggest stages in world football and his decision was justified.
The back five certainly helped make the Light Blues harder to beat but it came at the sacrifice of very little attacking intent and the choice to start Alfredo Morelos was not vindicated.
King had nothing to do with that though, of course, and his credit will have only increased significantly after his display against what was a very attacking and star-studded Liverpool team.
van Bronckhorst should now find it extremely difficult to drop King from the side when they return to domestic action even if they don’t stick with the back five in use at Anfield.
Ben Davies will be worried now as he would surely be the one who gets dropped at the weekend with King partnering Connor Goldson in the heart of the team.
In other Rangers news, this player came off the bench against Liverpool but the club have still not begun contract talks with time running low.