John Brewin was at Portman Road, and here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. To Clockwatch!
Kieran McKenna talks to TNT. “I thought we showed plenty of good things … the things we will need to be successful this season … the first half was really good … we made it difficult for Liverpool … it gives us something to build on … we know we are going to improve … when Liverpool got into their stride and scored their first goal, we can certainly manage that period of the game better … lots of positives to take … a really good base to build on … our response last season was to come out swinging … but we will have to find the balance of chasing the equalising goal but also making sure we’re not too open … our players will learn from that … we’ll be stronger for it … the first half performance was an even game … we need to keep improving and adding to the squad.”
More from Slot. “We showed them during half time that if a team plays all over the pitch one v one, do not play the ball short constantly … play them, then fight for it … I didn’t see them fighting for it in the first half, we lost almost every long ball, every duel … in the second half they were ready … then gaps opened up and you could see we can play quite good football … in the first half our defenders lost too many duels and our attackers didn’t win enough … we have many good players but if we can find another one we will not hesitate to do so.”
Arne Slot speaks to TNT Sports. “We couldn’t find the rhythm [in the first half] … the second half was a joy to watch … the first thing I said [during the break] was we don’t have to speak about tactics if we lose so many duels, and that’s what we did … not that Jarell lost every duel, many of us lost too many duels, but we needed Konate to win these long balls through the air … that helped and gave us control … they were playing all over the pitch one v one and I don’t think they could keep that up in the second half.”
So it was tactical to take Quansah off? “Yeah.”
The table as it stands. What a to-and-fro title race this is turning into.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Man Utd | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | AFC Bournemouth | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Brentford | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Brighton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Crystal Palace | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Everton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Leicester | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Man City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Nottm Forest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Southampton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | West Ham | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Fulham | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 20 | Ipswich | 1 | -2 | 0 |
Mohamed Salah – whose ninth opening-day goal is a new Premier League record, bettering the hauls of Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer - speaks to TNT. “It was tough … really warm … a tough team … really happy we won today … we just need to carry on … first game of the season, the crowd was up … we expected a tough game … I am always happy to score goals and assist … new manager, new system, it’s quite different so we need to adapt … we take it step by step … we do not need to put more pressure on [Arne Slot], we just need to play football and enjoy our game … let’s see how the season ends!”
A huge smile on the new Liverpool manager’s face. His team were as good in the second half as they were nondescript in the first. With sharper shooting and more clinical final passing, they’d have scored quite a few; their build-up play in the second period was impressive and relentless. Ipswich will be happy with their first-half showing, though, in which they created the better chances. They’ll also be pleased with the way they dug in during the second half under intense pressure. A less determined defence may have capitulated. So while neither team can claim perfection, both will go away very pleased with aspects of their game. All possibilities lie ahead!
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FULL TIME: Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool
Arne Slot’s first game as Liverpool boss ends in victory.
90 min +8: The corner’s not properly cleared by Liverpool. Szmodics attempts to tee up Greaves down the inside-left channel, but Konate blocks and Alisson gathers. The clean sheet clearly important to the visitors.
90 min +7: Ipswich’s match sponsors name Jacob Greaves as the man of the match. On the pitch, Hutchinson drives down the right and wins a corner off Tsimikas.
90 min +6: Gakpo is booked for a clip on Hutchinson. Portman Road celebrates the yellow card as they would a goal. Those first-half bookings picked up by the home team – which were correct, by the way, plus Burns could easily have been sent off for that deliberate handball – still smart. Again, all good fun.
90 min +4: Liverpool pepper the Ipswich goal. Bradley has two shots blocked, Salah one. Walton and Harness the defensive heroes.
90 min +3: Szoboszlai’s corner is half cleared. It drops to Mac Allister, whose attempted volley flies off his boot at 90 degrees and out for a throw on the left. You’ll not see a worse shot all season, certainly not by a World Cup winner, and Mac Allister has the good grace to laugh warmly. All good fun.
90 min +2: Gakpo bombs down the left and loops infield for Diaz, who attempts to poke home from six yards only to be denied by a fine last-ditch Greaves challenge. Corner.
90 min +1: On TNT, Jermaine Jenas names Mohamed Salah as the player of the match.
90 min: There will be eight additional minutes.
88 min: Liverpool launch a four-on-two counter, but Diaz and Gakpo over-think it, messing up an exchange down the inside-left channel, and the chance is gone.
86 min: … but Al-Hamadi shanks a half-chance wide left from the edge of the box, and the flag pops up for offside anyway.
85 min: This match is petering out. An Ipswich goal would test Liverpool’s resolve …
83 min: Liverpool stroke it around patiently. The clock ticks on.
81 min: Taylor wedges a long pass down the inside-left channel to release Al-Hamadi, who enters the box and flips a weak shot towards the bottom right. Alisson palms it away and Van Dijk bashes the loose ball clear, only for the flag to go up for offside. It was all for nought.
79 min: A double Liverpool change: Jota and Robertson are replaced by Gakpo and Tsimikas.
78 min: The Liverpool fans break into a Jurgen Klopp-approved chorus of Arne Slot.
76 min: Alexander-Arnold is replaced by Bradley.
74 min: Ipswich send on their new striker Szmodics, along with Al-Hamadi. They replace Delap and Tuanzebe.
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72 min: Harness brings down a long Woolfenden pass and hammers a shot over the bar. The flag pops up for offside. Liverpool counter at speed, through Diaz down the left. His low cross is hacked clear. Ipswich are shipping chances now; they’re fortunate Liverpool, who are otherwise playing well, still look a bit rusty at the cutting edge.
71 min: Liverpool play the ball out from the back in elegant triangles. Szoboszlai suddenly slips a pass down the middle to release Salah, who gets too cute with an attempted sidefoot into the bottom left. Walton saves, but it should be three.
69 min: Diaz bursts clear down the middle, chasing a fine Gravenberch pass, and rounds Walton. But he’s pushed too far wide left and can’t roll the ball home. Instead he attempts to cut back for Salah, and Taylor intercepts.
68 min: A loose ball falls to Hutchinson on the edge of the Liverpool box. He slashes a shot high over the bar.
67 min: “Liverpool, top of the league,” chant the away fans. It’s technically true, to be fair.
GOAL! Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool (Salah 65)
Salah chases Van Dijk’s long pass down the inside-right channel and attempts a one-two with Szoboszlai. The ball takes a little deflection as it returns to him, teeing it up perfectly. He forces it past Walton to double Liverpool’s lead in short order.
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65 min: A double change for Ipswich, as Luongo and Chaplin are replaced by Taylor and Harness.
63 min: Jota busies himself down the left to win a corner. Robertson and Alexander-Arnold combine for a short one, and it’s a complete waste of time.
62 min: Robertson barrels down the left and attempts a cross. The ball ricochets off Johnson and onto the back of Woolfenden’s arm. Robertson claims for a penalty, but he’s never getting it. That wouldn’t have been given last season, never mind under the new, more relaxed rules.
61 min: Salah finds more space down the right and looks for Jota in the middle again. He doesn’t get the pass right and Walton smothers, though the flag may well have gone up for an offside on Jota anyway. Ipswich need to hang on in there.
GOAL! Ipswich Town 0-1 Liverpool (Jota 60)
Liverpool come straight back at Ipswich. Alexander-Arnold releases Salah down the right. Salah shuttles the ball infield for Jota, who enters the box and flips a firm sidefoot into the left-hand side of the net. That had been coming.
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59 min: Diaz tears down the left. He cuts back for Mac Allister, whose fierce drive is blocked by Woolfenden. The ball breaks to Alexander-Arnold on the right. He curls an inviting cross in for Jota, who somehow flashes a header wide left from six yards, when it was surely easier to hit the target. But no matter, because…
57 min: Burns finally makes way for Johnson.
56 min: Szoboszlai shimmies in the centre circle to create space for Alexander-Arnold to burst into. Alexander-Arnold feeds Jota on the left. The ball comes back to Alexander-Arnold, who dinks forward for Diaz. An attempt to chip the keeper flies over the bar. Diaz clatters into Walton and Liverpool ask for a penalty, but there’s no foul. VAR confirms the decision. Another fine Liverpool move with a dismal end.
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54 min: Van Dijk clatters into the back of Delap, who was bursting into space down the inside-left channel. Penalty? Nope, because Davis was an inch or two offside earlier in the move. VAR has a good check, but the decision stands.
52 min: Burns battles on for now while Johnson receives his tactical instruction.
51 min: It doesn’t look as though Burns is going to be able to continue. He may have tweaked his hamstring. Johnson prepares to come on.
50 min: Burns tries to outrun Robertson and Van Dijk down the right. He can’t break clear, and then pulls up, asking for some treatment. We pause as the physio comes on.
48 min: Szoboszlai sprays a delightful crossfield pass towards Diaz on the left. Diaz jinks his way infield past Morsy, only to sky a wild shot over the bar.
47 min: The corner leads to an almighty scramble. Salah tries to pass it through a packed box and into the bottom left. Greaves blocks and Jota skies the rebound. Ipswich eventually clear their lines.
46 min: Diaz is immediately on the surge down the left. He wins a corner. Alexander-Arnold to take.
Ipswich get the second half underway. Liverpool have made a change: Konate has replaced Quansah. “I reckon Klopp’s in-game management and motivation was worth eight points every season,” argues Gary Naylor. “There’s two of them at stake already.”
Half-time postbag. “I didn’t expect a five goal tonking, but I thought Liverpool would create plenty of chances, but Ipswich have taken care of defensive business with little or no fuss. The Tractor Boys don’t seem overawed at all by the big Premier League stage” – Kári Tulinius
“You said Ipswich have had the better chances. Opta definitely agrees. As a Liverpool fan, Opta’s xG map is a rather depressing sight. Just a couple little dots for the Reds and some reasonably sized circles for the Tractor Boys. Sigh” – Joe Pearson
“With so many shirt abominations now desecrating English football (hello Chelsea), it’s an aesthetic pleasure to be watching this Battle of the Pin Stripes. Suits you, sirs!” – Justin Kavanagh
“I’m not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch, but the scheduling fates of Old Farm teams in the top tier caught my eye. Three seasons ago, promoted Norwich City got this opening quartet of fixtures: Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester (FA Cup holders), and Arsenal. They lost their first six, went winless in ten, and were virtual locks for their eventual last-place finish all season. Ipswich Town reaches the top tier for the first time in 23 seasons, and they have to start with Liverpool before going to the Etihad next week? Yikes” – Eric Peterson
Half-time entertainment. “So if Liverpool are Yacht Rock, does this mean Ipswich are doing the Dirty Work correctly and all they need is to Do It Again in the second half?” Graeme Neill there, because somebody had to. He’s here all week, sample the seafood platter.
HALF TIME: Ipswich Town 0-0 Liverpool
The Portman Road faithful warmly applaud their heroes off the pitch. Ipswich have played well and have made the better chances. Liverpool haven’t got going at all.
45 min: Diaz, Gravenberch and Jota shuttle the ball across the front of the Ipswich box, left to right. Salah cuts back for Alexander-Arnold, who leans back and slices a wild shot over the bar. A poor finish to Liverpool’s best move of the game.
43 min: Ipswich really fancy this now. Delap telescopes a leg to bring down a ball near the left touchline and spins past Quansah. He drives into the box and is entitled to shoot, from a tight angle, but opts to cut back for Chaplin instead. The ball’s blocked out for a corner, from which nothing comes.
41 min: Ipswich send a quick free kick in from the left. Chaplin makes a nuisance of himself, then a cross finds Tuanzebe, who loops a header towards the top right. The ball flies over the bar, but only just, and Alisson was scrambling. Ipswich have had the better chances.
39 min: Jota tries to break free down the left. Burns falls over at his feet and deliberately handles the ball. He’s on a booking, so should now be walking, but the referee shows leniency. The resulting free kick comes to nothing. Arne Slot is not particularly happy, though the level of his complaint hardly registers on the Klopp-o-meter.
37 min: Jota dribbles hard down the middle of the park and tries to release Mac Allister, but the pass is behind his man. The ball breaks off Woolfenden to Diaz on the left, but Walton has read the danger and smothers at the winger’s feet. The nearest Liverpool have come to threatening the Ipswich goal, which is not saying much.
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35 min: Ipswich will be delighted with the way this is going. They’re seeing plenty of the ball, and Walton hasn’t had any serious work to do.
33 min: Liverpool pass it around patiently. More yacht rock than heavy metal.
31 min: Robertson’s corner is easily dealt with. Then Mac Allister loses a duel with Chaplin, 30 yards out, and suddenly Ipswich are tearing clear on the counter! Hutchinson dribbles hard down the right, cuts infield, makes a little space for himself, and whistles a shot towards the bottom right. Alisson is behind it all the way.
30 min: It’s Salah versus Davis down the right yet again. Another corner coming up!
28 min: Van Dijk goes long for Salah down the right. Davis refuses to give ground, but Jota arrives to help, and yet another corner is won. Robertson swings it in, but Walton smothers, and the whistle goes anyway, Quansah having shoved Greaves in the back.
26 min: Jota bustles down the left to win a corner. Alexander-Arnold loops it into the six-yard box but it’s an easy claim for Walton.
24 min: Burns nicks Mac Allister down the back of his boot, and that’s a third Ipswich booking. The Ipswich fans are livid, but all three yellow cards have been valid.
22 min: Gravenberch creams a long diagonal pass towards Diaz, in acres on the left. Tuanzebe intercepts with a crucial header. Ipswich were in all sorts of bother had the defender not been wise to the situation.
20 min: Morsy sends the free kick towards Greaves at the far post. He rises high and bangs a downward header towards the bottom left. Alisson gets down to gather. A good effort, that, and one that will give Ipswich confidence.
19 min: Burns gets in ahead of Robertson down the right, drawing an impatient shove in the back from his opponent. A daft free kick to concede with Burns facing the touchline. A chance for Ipswich to load the box. Morsy to swing it in.
17 min: Szoboszlai shoots from distance. His shot is blocked and sails out for yet another Liverpool corner from the right. Robertson loops into the mixer but Walton rises highest in a crowded box to punch clear confidently.
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16 min: Gravenberch is in a busy mood. He quarterbacks from deep, but overhits his long pass down the middle for Salah, who is beginning to find space.
15 min: The corner’s half cleared. Mac Allister has the opportunity to find Gravenberch in a pocket of space just to the left of the goal, but strangely declines to make the pass. The chance to tee up his team-mate goes begging.
14 min: Szoboszlai feeds Salah down the right. Salah’s low cross-cum-shot is backed out by Greaves. Another corner from the right coming up.
13 min: Hutchinson goes sliding in on Gravenberch from behind, stretching for a loose ball he’s never going to reach. He clips his opponent’s ankle, and becomes the second Ipswich player to go into the book.
12 min: Robertson rakes a long pass down the inside-right channel and nearly finds Salah, but Walton reads the danger, racing out of his box to head clear.
10 min: Greaves heads the corner powerfully clear. Ipswich counter at speed, but Hutchinson’s attempt to release Chaplin on the left is intercepted by Alexander-Arnold.
9 min: Salah busies himself down the right and wins the first corner of the afternoon. Robertson trots across to take it. No rush.
8 min: Davis attempts to release Hutchinson down the middle with a raking pass from the left, but Robertson chests back to Alisson. A nice, open feel to this game.
6 min: Jota attempts to spin Woolfenden and is dragged back. Gravenberch looks like racing free on the overlap, but the referee blows for a free kick and books the Ipswich defender. Liverpool would have preferred to play on, especially as the resulting free kick is wasted.
4 min: Now it’s Robertson taking a careless touch. Burns nearly wriggles free down the right, but goes over looking for a free kick he’s not getting. Liverpool look a bit shaky playing it out from the beck.
2 min: Hutchinson applies pressure to the Liverpool back line and intercepts Van Dijk’s pass. He shoots. Quansah slides and blocks. No whirlwind start for Ipswich in the Premier League either.
1 min: Liverpool are on the front foot immediately, Diaz and Robertson probing down the left. No whirlwind start for Arne Slot, though, as Ipswich hold their shape.
A knee is taken, then Liverpool get the ball rolling. Portman Road is bouncing. A beautiful noise.
The teams are out! The sun is shining, it’s the first game of the season, and Portman Road is a veritable cauldron of anticipation. It’s that classic match-up: blue versus red. You cannot whack it. A large banner reads: THE FUTURE IS NOW. That being said, we’ll be off in a couple of your official Suffolk minutes.
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Pre-season reading. Get it while your optimism levels remain at 110 percent.
Arne Slot talks to TNT. “I’m definitely looking forward to it … it’s all about getting a result … it’s all about preparing the team … not thinking too much about first game or new stadium or whatever it is … the job is the same whether you work in Holland or here, you want to prepare in the best possible way and that’s what we’ve tried to do … Jurgen [Klopp] and Pepijn [Ljinders] left the team in a really good place … full of energy … I do think our results [in pre-season] were a bit better than the way we played … we had some wins where the game was not as clear as the result might look … but very positive with the way we have worked until now … we have to be competitive against a good Ipswich team … there will always be one or two differences [in playing styles] which is normal because we are not the same people but I’m hoping and expecting that many things will still be the same … Ryan Gravenberch has the attributes to play [number six] but has to develop in that position … he is comfortable with the ball and can keep running.”
Kieran McKenna speaks to TNT. “We’re excited … it’s a great occasion for the club … we want to make the most of it … Kalvin [Phillips] is a very experienced player and will be a good addition … Sammie [Szmodics] is a goalscorer who takes his opportunities really well and is an all-round worker … the squad is getting there … we’re still going to keep building … we’re in a good position … we’re going to have to find a balance … we’re going to have to find ways to adapt … but we keep our core essence to be brave and bold … we’re going to try to press high and be aggressive … other times we’ll be really compact … as brave as we can … it’s going to be a big step up … we know Liverpool have fantastic things as a team already … Arne [Slot] will be adding new patterns … we’ll have to deal with things collectively … I wanted to be the one to lead the team in the Premier League … it feels the right place to be … I’m so excited.”
Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric has a calf injury so misses out. Christian Walton takes his place. Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap make their debuts, while fellow new signings Kalvin Phillips and Sammie Szmodics are on the bench. “Other than that, it’s the core of the group that we’ve had,” Kieran McKenna tells TNT Sport. “We’ve got ten of the starting team making their first start in the Premier League today, and seven of the group have been with us since League One.”
Arne Slot makes his first big decision: Jarell Quansah partners Virgin van Dijk in the centre of defence, consigning Ibrahima Konaté to the bench. Diogo Jota, who scored a screamer against Sevilla in pre-season, is preferred to Darwin Nunez up front. Ryan Gravenberch is tasked to fill that Martín Zubimendi-shaped gap in midfield. Joe Gomez, rumoured to be for the off, isn’t in the squad.
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The teams
Ipswich Town: Walton, Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Luongo, Morsy, Burns, Chaplin, Hutchinson, Delap.
Subs: Slicker, Phillips, Taylor, Burgess, Al Hamadi, Johnson, Townsend, Szmodics, Harness.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Jota.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Konate, Nunez, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Bradley.
Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex).
Here's how we start for our first game back in the @premierleague! 💪#IPSLIV pic.twitter.com/HfsO8KXNS2
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) August 17, 2024
Team news is in for #IPSLIV ✊🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2024
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Preamble
Ipswich Town are back, baby! The Tractor Boys return to the big time pretty much where they left off. The final match of their doomed 2001-02 Premiership campaign was a 5-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield, and what do you know, they’re up against the very same club in their very next top-flight fixture, a mere 22 years on. That it’s on their own turf at Portman Road may not necessarily give them succour, given Liverpool beat them on it 6-0 that same relegation-haunted season … but if we’re going to bang on about history, it’s only fair to point out that the previous season in the Premiership, 2000-01, newly-promoted Ipswich drew 1-1 against Liverpool at home and beat them 1-0 at Anfield. So history either informs us or teaches us absolutely nothing, depending on which way you look at it. You’re welcome. Kick-off is at 12.30pm BST. It’s on!
