Alexander Isak struck twice in the opening nine minutes to propel Liverpool to a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Friday. The result secured the first Premier League win for manager Andoni Iraola since he took charge of the club this summer, helping to settle nerves after the team failed to win their first two matches of the season.
Isak opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a clinical finish from inside the penalty area after being set up by Cody Gakpo. Shortly after, the Swedish forward doubled the lead by latching onto an outside-of-the-foot pass from Gakpo, dribbling past defender Jacob Greaves before slotting the ball home. Reflecting on the early surge, Isak told Sky Sports, “It was perfect for us to get those two quick goals,” adding that the team is beginning to implement their desired offensive style.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk noted the tactical shift, stating, “We were more direct, which we wanted, in the start and we scored two great goals.” While Isak had a potential hat-trick goal disallowed in the first half and Dominik Szoboszlai saw a penalty appeal overturned by VAR due to an offside call, the visitors maintained control throughout the match.
With the game firmly in hand during the second half, Iraola introduced club-record signing Bradley Barcola in the 64th minute for his debut following his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. “We needed this win,” Iraola remarked to Sky Sports. “It was also nice to get a clean sheet and control the match. The second half was not as good as the first, but we didn’t concede any chances.”
The victory marks a significant turnaround for Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot after the latter was dismissed following a disappointing title defense last season. The new manager had previously overseen a difficult start with a draw against Newcastle United and a loss to Nottingham Forest. For Ipswich, the match proved a difficult challenge against a dominant Liverpool side that successfully kept a clean sheet to cap off their performance. The report also notes that sweden international Isak pounced in the sixth and ninth minutes of Friday’s match at Portman Road to ease Liverpool nerves that a third successive winless match may be in the offing. The report also notes that having been picked out by Cody Gakpo, that even the glove of Kjell Scherpen in the Ipswich goal could not stop, isak’s first came courtesy of a drilled finish from within the area. The report also notes that “We were talking about starting the game well. The report also notes that “We are starting to get to the way we want to play.
