Alexander Isak struck twice in the opening nine minutes to propel Liverpool to a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road, securing the first Premier League win for new manager Andoni Iraola. The early goals effectively settled the contest, easing pressure on the Reds following a winless start to their campaign.
Isak opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a drilled finish from inside the box after receiving a precise pass from Cody Gakpo. Just three minutes later, the Swedish international doubled the lead by latching onto an outside-of-the-foot through-ball from Gakpo, dribbling past defender Jacob Greaves before slotting the ball home. Even a touch from Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen could not prevent the strike from finding the net.
Reflecting on the result, Iraola told Sky Sports, “We needed this win. It was also nice to get a clean sheet and control the match.” He noted that while the second half lacked the intensity of the first, the team maintained defensive discipline and did not concede any chances. The victory follows a challenging start for Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot this summer after the club’s previous title defense faltered.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised the team’s tactical shift, stating, “We were more direct, which we wanted, in the start and we scored two great goals.” Isak echoed this sentiment, adding, “It was perfect for us to get those two quick goals. We are starting to get to the way we want to play. We want to be offensive. We could have scored more.”
The match also marked a significant milestone for club record signing Bradley Barcola. The forward, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain, made his debut in the 64th minute as Iraola looked to manage the game from the bench. Despite the dominant performance, Liverpool had other opportunities to extend their lead; Isak saw a potential hat-trick goal ruled out in the first half, and a second-half penalty appeal by Dominik Szoboszlai was overturned after a VAR review determined the midfielder was offside following a challenge from Leif Davis.
For Ipswich, the defeat served as a reality check after a promising start to their season. Liverpool’s victory provides a necessary boost as they look to build momentum following earlier stumbles against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
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