Alexander Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes as Liverpool claimed their first victory under new head coach Andoni Iraola, beating Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road. The result ended a run of two successive 2-2 draws and delivered the Reds' first clean sheet of the season.
Two years ago, Liverpool's previous visit to Ipswich marked the start of the Arne Slot era, with quick-fire second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah securing a 2-0 win. Now, with Iraola in the dugout, Portman Road again proved the venue for a new era to get up and running.
Patience Pays Off for Isak
Few predicted the first post-Jurgen Klopp season would end in Premier League glory, and an even bigger surprise would be Iraola leading this transitional side to the title at the first attempt. Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are the only survivors from the starting XI 25 months ago, with 11 of the 20-man matchday squad from that day no longer at the club.
The Spaniard had preached patience during the opening weeks, waiting for his side to click and for new signings to arrive. That patience was tested by a lengthy pursuit of Bradley Barcola, whose £123m transfer from Paris Saint-Germain was completed on transfer deadline day eve. The Frenchman was named only as a substitute against Ipswich, but the wait proved worthwhile for Alexander Isak, the only player in Liverpool history to cost more than Barcola.
Isak's Quick-Fire Double
Isak opened the scoring after just six minutes, powering home at the near post from a fabulous through-ball from Cody Gakpo. Three minutes later, he added his second, running onto a stunning trivela pass from Gakpo, twisting his marker inside out before slotting under the goalkeeper. A marginal offside denied him a hat-trick after converting Florian Wirtz's low cross at the far post.
With three goals for the season, matching his Premier League total of last year, and six goals in three outings against Ipswich, the real Alexander Isak is back. Gakpo was equally superb on the left, while Wirtz impressed as Liverpool put together their most eye-catching offensive display of the Iraola reign so far.
Defensive Solidity Returns
Ronald Araujo made a noticeable difference on his full Liverpool debut, playing a vital role in the clean sheet. He denied Ipswich a tap-in with a vital first-half interception and grew in stature after the break, winning countless aerial battles and putting in numerous blocks and clearances. Alisson Becker was alert to deny Julio Enciso on more than one occasion, while Abdul Fatawu gave Milos Kerkez a tough evening.
Isak's night ended in the 64th minute as Barcola was given his debut alongside Ryan Gravenberch. Barcola's debut was quiet, his first performance since France's World Cup third-place play-off defeat to England in July. While the Frenchman was serenaded after the final whistle, the loudest cheers were reserved for Isak as he was pushed forward by Van Dijk to take the acclaim.
