Arne Slot’s tenure as Liverpool boss commenced with a victory in his first competitive outing on Saturday, as the Reds claimed three points against newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Diogo Jota’s opener on the hour mark was swiftly followed by Mohamed Salah’s effort five minutes later, ensuring Liverpool move to the top of the table – at least until the conclusion of this afternoon’s matches.
As it happened
Ipswich Town’s long-awaited return to the Premier League was worthy of praise. The Tractor Boys had spent 22 years outside of the top flight, though that wasn’t necessarily apparent from a first-half performance in which they matched Liverpool blow for blow.
Embed from Getty ImagesJacob Greaves came closest to opening the scoring before the break, with his header threatening to sneak in low over the line before Omar Hutchinson’s driven effort was denied.
Liverpool needed improvements, and they found them in the second half: Mohamed Salah saw an effort denied, Luis Diaz smashed an attempt over the bar and then Trent Alexander-Arnold’s teasing delivery was sent just wide of the far post by a Diogo Jota header.
The Portuguese forward soon made amends as he tucked away from Salah’s well-placed cross, slotting past Christian Walton to give Arne Slot’s men the advantage at Portman Road.
They’d capitalise on that momentum, with Salah himself getting involved in the goalscoring action just five minutes later when he latched onto a Dominik Szoboszlai pass to bag his ninth goal on the opening day of the Premier League.
Embed from Getty ImagesA late cameo appearance from Sammie Szmodics, Ipswich’s latest signing, was not enough to salvage a share of the spoils on the club’s return to the Premier League – but their first-half showing should leave fans confident of an enjoyable season in the top division.
The lineups
IPS: Walton; Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Burns, Chaplin, Hutchinson; Delap
LIV: Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Quansah, Alexander-Arnold; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Diaz, Szoboszlai, Salah; Jota