Liverpool secured their first win under new manager Andoni Iraola with a clinical 2-0 victory at Portman Road against Ipswich Town. The result, which lifts the Reds to fifth in the Premier League table, provides a much-needed boost following an unbeaten but inconsistent start to the campaign that included high-scoring draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Alexander Isak proved the difference, scoring both goals within the first 10 minutes. The Swedish forward, whose £125 million move from Newcastle remains a league record—now matched by Manchester City’s acquisition of Enzo Fernandez—is finally finding his rhythm at Anfield. After a difficult debut season marred by fitness issues and a disappointing team finish that cost Arne Slot his job, Isak has now netted three goals in three appearances this term.
Cody Gakpo, who was the subject of interest from Manchester City earlier this week, proved vital by providing the assists for both goals. His first delivery found Isak on the edge of the area, where a powerful strike was fumbled into the net by Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen. Moments later, Gakpo threaded a through ball to Isak, who slotted home at the near post to capitalize on poor positioning from the keeper.
Match Highlights and Key Developments
- Isak’s Near Miss: The striker nearly completed a hat-trick, having previously scored one at this venue for Newcastle, but saw a back-post finish from a Florian Wirtz cross ruled out for offside.
- Scherpen’s Response: The Ipswich goalkeeper recovered from his early errors to deny Dominik Szoboszlai twice before the interval, preventing a larger deficit.
- Debut Appearance: New £100 million signing Bradley Barcola entered the fray as a second-half substitute, marking his first Premier League appearance for the club.
- Defensive Stability: While the attacking intensity dipped after the break, Iraola will be satisfied with a clean sheet, a significant improvement following recent criticism of the team’s defensive structure.
For Ipswich, the defeat serves as a harsh reality check. After a promising start to their top-flight return with a win over Sunderland, the Tractor Boys have struggled significantly, following up a 5-2 loss at Manchester United with this latest setback. Liverpool, meanwhile, look to build on this momentum as they continue to integrate high-profile additions like Barcola into a squad that remains under pressure to compete at the top of the table. The report also notes that but 12 months on the Swede is finally beginning to deliver on his price tag, isak’s Premier League record £125 million ($169 million) move from Newcastle was matched this week by Manchester City’s signing of Enzo Fernandez. The report also notes that but did little to ease doubts over their ability to challenge at the top end of the table this season, a pair of 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest did not lack in entertainment for the Basque coach’s opening two games in charge. The report also notes that barcola added to Liverpool’s expensively assembled forward line this week but at a cost of reinforcing other areas of the field.
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