Key events
John Brewin was our man in Suffolk tonight, and his verdict has landed. Here it is! Thanks for reading this MBM.
Gary O’Neil talks to Sky Sports. “Proud of the group … I thought we were excellent … two mistakes in the first ten minutes made it very difficult … but then we were probably the better side for large parts after that … more shots … I spoke about the setbacks at Manchester United and needing to respond to them better, and we did that very well … of course we don’t take any points … but a lot of good signs … a really good performance to go toe-to-toe with them in the way we did … very pleased … the mistakes were big and we were punished heavily by world-class players … an excellent response … we gave our best … but we are here for points and we need to make sure that next week we take some … second half we cut through them many times … didn’t quite find that moment of quality to get us back in it … this is one of our most extreme tests … we’re in a good spot.”
Post-match postbag. “A relief to see Alexander Isak playing the way he did for Newcastle. And delighted Liverpool managed to hold on to Cody Gakpo who, besides being a talented forward, is a close pal of Virgil van Dijk which helps to cement the team in terms of relationships. Also glad to see Iraola bring on Nyoni. Hopefully, together with the expensive new signings, Liverpool will use their academy players more like Nyoni and the promising Danns” – Colum Fordham
“I’m beginning to think Fulham must have sold Ipswich a ringer rather than Sasa Lukic – he hasn’t had his obligatory yellow card. It must be the pastoral idyll of Suffolk working its magic!” – Richard Hirst
“When Jan Molby dragged himself up the field to take a penalty, his scoring record was one of the best. Mike Dean also loved a penalty” – Andrew Goudie
Coming up next … Ipswich travel to Crystal Palace in the Premier League a week on Saturday, while Liverpool host Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night, before welcoming Fulham to Anfield in the league on Saturday.
Andoni Iraola is congratulated by Sky’s Kelly Cates on his first win as Liverpool boss. “It is nice … we needed this one … we had a clean sheet … controlling the game quite well … we started strong … the second half was not as good as the first one … we did not concede clear chances … [Alexander Isak] is a massive player for us … probably my demands will not be about the goals … he’s going to produce the numbers … my fights with him [Iraola smiles cheekily] are more about other stuff … how to help the team … he has already played a very good amount of minutes … today we were much better in our press … we can give our number nine chances … for every centre-back to play next to Virgil [van Dijk] is a masterclass, a lesson … Jeremy [Jacquet] has played his first full game … the first two games he could not finish because he was tired … today there was a moment in the second half I was in doubt … but he has to suffer … he finished the game well … and he will build the fitness … we have good options [in midfield] … I think [Bradley Barcola] has had some very good minutes … it’s good to have him already going.”
Player-of-the-match Alexander Isak talks to Sky Sports about his two-goal haul. “We was waiting for the first win … we were talking about starting the game good, which we haven’t done recently … so that was perfect for us to get two quick goals … we are starting to get the play we want to play … be offensive … we could have scored more … [the travails of last season] was not easy … obviously a long injury … a difficult season in general … I was thinking to have a good World Cup then start off this season well … which I feel like I’ve done now … that’s kind of behind me but it wasn’t easy … [Cody Gakpo] has done amazingly in assisting me … finding me in those situations … good positions where I enjoy having the ball … we have so much threat up front … all of us will enjoy our offensive game … it is still early … we still have a lot to learn … game by game … the support was unreal today and very much appreciated.”
Liverpool’s first win of the season fetches them up to fifth spot. They won’t still be there by the time the third round of matches are complete, of course, but it’s nevertheless a welcome step in the right direction. Ipswich, given their testing early fixtures, should be happy enough with their return so far.
Virgil van Dijk speaks to Sky Sports … “It was a good performance … great goals … Cody outstanding … onto the next … [Gakpo] is important for us … he will be important this season … he showed it today again … last week as well … and the last couple of years … [Isak] is getting up to speed now … he is going to show that with a Liverpool shirt … we recover and focus on the Champions League.”
… as does Cody Gakpo. “It was a great game … some things we have to improve still … a much-needed win for us … very happy that we got the three points … happy with the performance … hopefully we [Gakpo and Isak] can assist each other many times … he owes me a few assists now! … hopefully beautiful things are ahead … outstanding support as always.”
Andoni Iraola wears a wide smile as he congratulates his two-goal hero Alexander Isak. He’s up and running as Liverpool boss. But both teams have something to take away from that. Liverpool obviously, with the three points that get their Premier League campaign properly going. Alexander Isak, too, with his first double for Liverpool, already on three goals for the season. He’s shoved towards the travelling fans by Cody Gakpo, who assisted him twice, so he can get his flowers. But Ipswich and Gary O’Neil will be pleased too, when it all comes down, with the way they responded to conceding two quickfire goals early in the match. They battled well for the remaining 80-odd minutes, and though they didn’t really get much going in the final third, will be pleased with their overall performance and general display of moxie. It’ll stand them in good stead going forward. They’ll play worse this season and win.
FULL TIME: Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool
Andoni Iraola’s first win as Liverpool manager!
90 min +5: Enciso cuts in from the left and looks for the top right. Way wide. Alisson had it covered. Liverpool so close now to their precious clean sheet.
90 min +4: On Sky, Chris Sutton names Alexander Isak as his player of the match. Could anybody quibble?
90 min +3: McAteer dribbles a shot goalwards. Easy for Alisson. Liverpool are closing in on just their second clean sheet in 14 matches.
90 min +2: Flemming and Davis combine cutely down the left, and for a split second look to have opened Liverpool up … but Nyoni nips in to intercept and calmly clear. He’s the real deal, and Liverpool, so short on defensive nous in their stock of midfielders, will need him over the coming months. Not sure why they didn’t act in the transfer window, but here we all are.
90 min: … so having said that, Jacquet slips and nearly allows McAteer a run on goal. But his team-mates recover the situation. Then Koumas comes on for Wirtz, who has been ineffectual, bordering on poor. There will be five additional minutes.
89 min: Enciso tries to release Greaves down the inside left, but Jacquet comes across to impose himself and shepherd the ball out for a goal kick. The young centre-back has recovered well after that shaky couple of minutes early in the second half.
88 min: Barcola closes down O’Shea, and though the ball ricochets back off him and out for an Ipswich throw, he’s earned himself another appreciative cry from the Liverpool support.
86 min: Wirtz has an opportunity to launch a counter, but misplaces the pass. Clarke is teed up, just to the left of the Liverpool D, and takes a whack. His shot deflects off his own man Diop, and sails wide of the left-hand post, but not by much. And Alisson, wrong-footed, was rooted to the spot.
84 min: Gakpo romps down the right and looks for Wirtz, free in the box. His low cross isn’t accurate, forcing Wirtz wide, and then the flag pops up for offside anyway. Then Mac Allister is subbed out for Nyoni.
83 min: A bit of space for Davis down the left again. He looks for Flemming in the middle, but Araujo deflects the cross back to Alisson. Araujo has had a good game in (one of) Liverpool’s problem position(s).
81 min: Greaves slips a cute pass down the inside-left channel to release Davis, who enters the box only to be denied a chance to shoot or cross by Araujo. But it will be a corner to Ipswich, which Lukic takes … only to fail to beat the first man. What a waste.
79 min: Another double Ipswich change, as Palacios and Fatawu are replaced by McAteer and Ouattara.
77 min: Flemming curls a weak shot in from the left. Alisson claims. Liverpool counter through Barcola, who dribbles into the box from the left and rolls unselfishly across for Szoboszlai … only for Gakpo to nip in and butcher a shot over the bar.
75 min: Fatawu dribbles dangerously down the right and enters the box … only to be denied by a characteristically haughty intervention by Van Dijk. “Jan Molby and Mike Dean!” purrs Niall Mullen. “Two football legends who could run a game from the centre circle.”
74 min: Flemming strides down the right and delivers a low cross through the Liverpool six-yard box. But there’s nobody in Ipswich blue making a run, allowing Araujo to flick clear, and in any case the flag pops up for offside.
73 min: The pace drops. Both teams unable to put much together at the minute.
71 min: Barcola chases a pass down the left but Scherpen comes out of his box to deal with the danger. “I saw Jan Molby play centre back in a Goodison derby,” writes Gary Naylor. “He never got as far as the centre circle. Still ran the game though.”
VAR: no penalty
70 min: It would be a penalty for sure … Davis clipped his man … but it turns out Szoboszlai was marginally offside in the build-up. A huge let-off for Ipswich! Portman Road roars its approval.
Penalty to Liverpool?
68 min: Szoboszlai gets in ahead of Davis down the inside-right channel. He’s caught by the Ipswich man from behind. Szoboszlai goes over. The referee waves play on, but it looks like the Ipswich man clipped his opponent’s boot. VAR will get involved … and sends the referee over to the screen.
67 min: Barcola’s first couple of touches, jinking in elegantly from the left, draws oohs and aahs from the travelling support. His third, an attempt to one-two with Wirtz, doesn’t come off.
66 min: Ipswich respond with a double change of their own: Emersonn and Maeda are replaced by Clarke and Flemming, who like Barcola is also making his debut tonight.
65 min: Had Isak remained on, it would have been the first time in football history that three £100m players were on the same pitch for the same team at the same time. But we must wait for that particular modern-day pleasure.