There was to be no Suffolk sucker punch. Arne Slot’s Premier League bow was safely negotiated, avoiding the fate that befell Brendan Rodgers in 2012, a 3-0 defeat to West Brom. Jürgen Klopp’s October 2015 debut was a 0-0 draw with Tottenham remembered for the vigour of his players.
How will this be recalled? Probably with mixed memories. After a first half where a circumspect Liverpool were caught cold by Ipswich, something like normal service was resumed by a team playing a direct style rather like that under Klopp.
“We couldn’t find the rhythm,” Slot said of his new team’s first half. “The second half was a joy to watch.”
Despite Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah’s second-half goals, it will take some while to shake Klopp’s looming shadow. Where, 50 years ago, Bill Shankly haunted the Melwood training ground, the German’s ghostly presence stalks Instagram, a background hum to Slot’s installing fresh doctrines.
That presence will only grow if results go awry, as they did for Manchester United and Arsenal when their respective emperors stepped aside. For now, first assignment completed, Slot forges on with the players Klopp left behind.
Martín Zubimendi’s errantly projected No 6 midfield role was filled by Klopp’s last signing, Ryan Gravenberch. Jota played centrally, the goalscorer given licence to drop deeper and supply passes to bottle-blond Luis Díaz and freshly cropped Salah. Darwin Núñez, the puzzle Klopp could not solve, stayed on the bench. Trent Alexander-Arnold made regular, familiar incursions into central midfield.
A patient buildup does not appear to suit the players Slot has to hand. Liverpool’s best first-half chance came when Luke Woolfenden mistakenly played the ball into Díaz’s path, only for Christian Walton, the goalkeeper, to smother. There was audible impatience from an away support used to nine years of crash, bang, wallop, heavy metal football. The first half was more prog-rock, with attendant difficult time signatures.
“It’s quite different,” said Salah. “Jürgen was in the team for eight years, he gave everything, now it’s a new manager and new system. It’s quite different for all of us, we need to adapt.”
Ipswich’s welcome back to the top flight has been warm though a rich history of the Cobbold family, Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson, Frank Yallop and the darting runs of Alan Brazil will not shield the club from the harsh realities of 2024’s Premier League. They have retained their prime asset, Kieran McKenna, a miracle worker on the level of Ramsey and Robson in hauling the club from the third-tier doldrums. A coach for 16 years – five longer than Slot – at 38, he is nothing like wet behind the ears but his team’s naiveties were exposed in both goals.
“We showed plenty of good things,” said McKenna. “When Liverpool got into their stride and scored their first goal, we can certainly manage that period of the game better.”
Despite defeat, and coming so far, so fast, Ipswich do look to have what he described as “a really good base to build on”.
Of a summer of brisk Ipswich business, Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap were two players making their debuts, Sammie Szmodics and Kalvin Phillips beginning on the bench. Until his 75th-minute removal, Delap’s movement across the front and pressing of Liverpool’s defenders caused significant disruption. “I don’t think they could keep that up in the second half,” said Slot.
Ipswich are not set up to sit back. The home support saw much to enjoy in that first 45. Just past the half-hour, Omari Hutchinson jinked inside but could not get enough purchase on his shot and Axel Tuanzebe flashed a header wide as Ipswich entered the break the better team.
Another hangover from the Klopp era – finding a suitable partner for Virgil van Dijk – reared up when Jarell Quansah was replaced by Ibrahima Konaté at the break. A tactical decision, confirmed Slot, a quiet touchline presence compared to his predecessor, more darts player stalking the oche than ants-in-pants berserker. He had, though, made himself heard. The passing was crisper, the pressing far more aggressive.
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Liverpool chances finally arrived. Two desperate blocks preceded Alexis Jota skewing a header wide before Salah found a space Leif Davis and Greaves had vacated, placing the ball into the path of Jota to score. Next, Salah, the opening-day specialist, stole in on Davis, excellent going forward but guilty for both goals, to increase Liverpool’s comfort.
“I’m always happy to make a difference,” said Salah. His contract situation is one of the many questions over the new regime.
“Arne Slot” was soon heard from the away fans. Job done satisfactorily, even if, as he readily admitted, there remains much to work on.
