Second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah allowed new Liverpool coach Arne Slot to get off to a 2-0 winning start at newly promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday.
Ipswich, cheered on by new minority shareholder and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran from the Portman Road stands, went toe-to-toe with Liverpool in the first half but failed to take their chances when they presented themselves.
Slot’s new side improved markedly after the break, taking the lead on the hour mark through Jota, before a fine move was finished off by Egyptian forward Salah five minutes later to effectively kill off the Ipswich challenge.
Liverpool had a host of chances to make the result even more emphatic, but two goals were enough to navigate Liverpool and Slot past a tricky first game of the campaign.
Playing their first top-flight game in 22 years, Ipswich were more than a match for Slot’s team in the first half and went closest to opening the scoring before half-time, first through Jacob Greaves’ downward header and then Omar Hutchinson’s low drive.
But Liverpool were much improved after the restart and should have taken the lead when Jota nodded Alexander-Arnold’s inch-perfect cross narrowly wide of the far post early in the second half.
The 27-year-old made amends for that miss moments later, before Salah put the seal on a narrow win and condemned Ipswich to their first home defeat in nearly 12 months.
Former Feyenoord boss Slot has enormous shoes to fill at Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp’s excellent nine-year spell in charge, but Saturday’s win – coming off the back of a strong pre-season – will raise hopes of a successful first season under the Dutchman.
The Reds took a while to get going, however, with Alexander-Arnold’s curling effort shortly before the break the closest they came to troubling Walton in the first half.
Alexander-Arnold’s strike was one of just three first-half attempts by Slot’s team, equalling their lowest tally from the 2023-24 campaign. None were on target.
But the visitors began the second period with far greater urgency and Salah had a goal-bound effort blocked by Greaves, before Luis Diaz blazed over after cutting on to his right foot from the left flank.
Ipswich were suddenly struggling to get out of their own half and were given a let-off when Jota headed wide from Alexander-Arnold’s cross, but Liverpool’s pressure finally told when the forward converted Salah’s pass.
The Egyptian went from provider to goalscorer not long afterwards, his close-range finish meaning he has scored in all but one of Liverpool’s opening-day fixtures since signing for the club.
By Agencies
