Gary Lineker drops Rangers into Europa League power rankings but Alan Shearer's mind not on Ibrox run

Gary Lineker has asked whether Rangers could be one of the teams who could enjoy a strong Europa League season.

The Light Blues got their campaign in Group C off to a strong start by beating Real Betis 1-0 at Ibrox, thanks to a goal that has been awarded to Abdallah Sima. With Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol still to play, some believe the hardest opponent has already been defeated on home soil as the stage is set for a knockout round berth.

Liverpool are also in the mix and won their Group E game 3-1 against LASK, and Europa Conference League holders West Ham returned to the competition with a 3-1 success against Backa Topola. Brighton meanwhile were surprised on home soil, losing 3-2 to AEK Athens. Lineker was speaking on the Rest is Football Podcast, and amid plenty of English participation in the competition, he had acknowledgement for Rangers too. He asked Alan Shearer: "Here's a question for you, who's going to go furthest in the Europa League, Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham, or even Rangers?"

It wasn't Michael Beale's men who got the Newcastle icon's tip, with that reserved for Jurgen Klopp's Reds. He said: "You'd have to fancy Liverpool, wouldn't you?

"Didn't play particularly well, they can't keep doing that as eventually that will bite them (having to come from behind). I think with the opposition they have gone behind, other than Newcastle, they've been allowed to get back into the game.

"They won't be allowed to do that with better opposition. So that is one thing they have to improve on but I would think they will go far in the competition, they have to with that squad."