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Liverpool 4 – 1 Ipswich – The PL Postmortem

The atmosphere at Anfield was full of song for most of this game as relegation-haunted Ipswich arrived on Merseyside to take on the 19-time English league champions. With a desire to maintain a six-point gap between themselves and second-placed Arsenal, Liverpool needed to win this game as the Gunners overcame adversity to record a 0-1 win away to Wolves.

Below is how the team lined up, with match details following.

Liverpool’s Starting XI: Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk (c), Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah, Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo

Subs

Darwin N̼̱ez РCody Gakpo (68 mins)

Harvey Elliott – Ryan Gravenberch (68 mins)

Wataru Endō – Dominik Szoboszlai (68 mins)

Jayden Danns – Alexis Mac Allister (80 mins)

Federico Chiesa – Luis Díaz (86 mins)

Goals (Assisted by)

Liverpool 1 Р0 Ipswich РDominik Szoboszlai (Ibrahima Konat̩) 11 mins

Liverpool 2 – 0 Ipswich – Mohamed Salah (Cody Gakpo) 35 mins

Liverpool 3 – 0 Ipswich – Cody Gakpo – 44 mins

Liverpool 4 – 0 Ipswich – Cody Gakpo (Trent Alexander Arnold) 66 mins

Liverpool 4 – 1 Ipswich – Jacob Greaves (Julio Ensico) 90 mins

Important Match Stats

Possession: Liverpool 70.4% – 29.6% Ipswich

XG: Liverpool 2.15 – 0.48 Ipswich

Total Shots: Liverpool 16 – 3 Ipswich

Corner Kicks: Liverpool 3 – 4 Ipswich

Offsides: Liverpool 0 – 1 Ipswich   

Fouls: Liverpool 10 – 11 Ipswich

Goalkeeper Saves: Liverpool 2 – 2 Ipswich

The First Half

The match began with Ipswich demonstrating a determination to limit space for their opponents by establishing a five-man defensive lineup against the Reds’ renowned attack. The home side started quickly and took the lead just eleven minutes in, thanks to Hungarian captain Dominik Szoboszlai. Ibrahima Konaté advanced the ball from his half, delivering a pinpoint pass to Szoboszlai, who skillfully turned and fired a low left-footed shot from the edge of the box. Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton was unable to stop the shot, and the score moved to 1-0.

As Arne Slot’s team dominated the game, they continued to probe a defence designed to minimize space. Andy Robertson found Cody Gakpo, who cut inside and delivered a perfect cross to the back post. Mohamed Salah controlled the cross and struck firmly to net his 100th goal at Anfield, doubling the team’s lead. Earlier, Salah had a chance to assist Luis Díaz but opted to take a shot himself instead.

As the first half neared its end, Ryan Gravenberch sent a dangerous low cross that was met by Szoboszlai. The explosive midfielder connected well, forcing a spectacular low save from Walton; however, the rebound fell to Gakpo, who slotted home from close range, extending the lead to 3-0. The first half ended with Liverpool clearly in control, leaving Ipswich to focus on damage limitation in the second half.

The Second Half

Liverpool maintained the same starting eleven at the beginning of the second half. The hosts appeared to shift to a more controlled tempo, knowing the game was well in hand. Throughout the match, Trent Alexander-Arnold played a critical role, while the passing efforts of central defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté left Ipswich with few opportunities.

In midfield, the double pivot of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch worked beautifully together, expertly controlling the game’s tempo and rhythm. Although Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz were less involved in the second half, the Reds focused on slowing the game and managing their assets’ energy.

It wasn’t until the 66th minute that the score increased again. Trent Alexander-Arnold sent a devastating cross into the box, which Cody Gakpo headed home powerfully. This prompted Slot to shuffle his players, reducing the strain on key assets.

As the match progressed into the final stages, a jinking run from Salah provided Alexander-Arnold with a shot on goal, which struck the underside of the bar. Moments later, Julio Enciso, on loan from Broughton, lunged into Liverpool substitute Wataru Endō with a high knee and a hint of studs. Despite the clear foul being a definite red card offence, the on-pitch official and VAR ultimately issued a yellow card.

Alisson Becker made a fantastic save from a close-range header soon after. However, a brilliant corner from Enciso allowed Ipswich to pull one back, with Jacob Greaves heading home for their consolation goal.

The match concluded with a score of 4-1, reflecting Liverpool’s dominant performance.

Photo: IMAGO

Final Thoughts

This match gained added significance as Arsenal secured three points against Wolves, intensifying the ongoing title race between two historic clubs in the Premier League.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 3 – 0 Ipswich

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