17 August 2024
Ipswich Town 0 Liverpool 2
Following the departure of Jurgen Klopp, many Liverpool fans are not sure what to expect of their new appointment. This is now the Arnie Slot era and if the transfer activity is anything to go by, this has not been an awe-inspiring start. Liverpool are the only team in the top seven divisions of English football not to sign a player in this transfer window.
First up for the Dutchman was a tricky trip to Portman Road to face newly-promoted Ipswich Town. In the words of famous Tractor Boys’ fan, Ed Sheeran, it was time to see the ‘Shape of You’. The hosts started well with a raucous crowd behind them. An early free kick was swung into the visitors’ box but Greaves could not get enough on his header to beat Alisson.
Ipswich then played Liverpool at their own game. As a corner broke down for the visitors, the Tractor Boys steamed forward and Hutchinson was in acres of space on the right wing. With only two defenders in front of him, he cut inside onto his left foot but his shot from just outside the box was comfortably saved by The Reds’ keeper in the bottom corner of the goal.
Both sides were getting stuck into challenges and the game was littered with fouls. Burns was lucky to stay on the pitch when he looked to stop Jota getting away by blatantly handling the ball. Having already been booked, by the letter of the law, he should have been shown a second yellow card. Fortunately for Kieran McKenna, the referee did not see it that way. Premier League officials are never ones to be swayed by rules or laws.
You could see from the early moments that Ipswich were keen to get crosses into the box. One such ball picked out Tuanzebe but his header was disappointing. Despite being unchallenged his effort looped up over onto the roof of the net. Alisson seemed to have it covered but he really should have been testing the Brazilian far more. Arne Slot did not seem overly pleased with the first-half performance from his new team.
The Reds looked dangerous on the attack with the quality of their movement and passing. Salah laid the ball off to Alexander-Arnold on the edge of the box but he could not keep his shot down as it sailed over the bar. We have come to expect a lot more from the talented full-back. As the half-time whistle went, they could expect some choice words from their new manager at the interval.
It was very much a ‘bodies on the line’ approach to defending from the hosts. As Alexander-Arnold bent in a teasing corner, they blocked several efforts to get a shot off. Eventually it was Salah who looked to bend it into the far corner but for another great stop from an Ipswich defender. More so this time as it seemed that Walton was getting nowhere near that one. McKenna will have been pleased with what he was seeing in a defensive sense from his team.
Liverpool started playing neat one-touch football which was opening the hosts up. Jota then picked out Alexander-Arnold in the box who deftly laid it off to Diaz. As the keeper came charging out, the Columbian looked to lift it over him but it landed on the roof of the net. Slot’s side wanted a penalty as Walton clearly wiped out the Liverpool man with his challenge but the referee was not interested.
Of course VAR would have reviewed it but something being a ‘clear and obvious error’ is so subjective. Add to that the fact we are dealing with the crazed mind of a Premier League official and you have more chance of picking the winning lottery numbers for the next four consecutive weeks. Slot could not believe his side’s luck on the touchline. It won’t be long before he starts receiving letters of apology from Howard Webb like a WW1 wife, soon to be widowed.
The visitors were starting to ask real questions of McKenna’s side. Mac Allister had a goalbound shot blocked well on the line. Moments later a cross into the box picked out Jota perfectly but somehow the Portuguese forward headed wide of the target when it seemed easier to score. One thing was for sure, if Ipswich kept giving Alexander-Arnold time on the ball to pick out crosses like that, sooner or later they were going to be punished.
Reds’ fans did not have to wait long as he played a sublime pass in between the lines for Salah to run onto. With plenty of space in front of him, he unselfishly picked out Jota at the back post who slotted home to open the scoring. It was a brilliant flowing move by Arne Slot’s side and opened up the hosts like a Calais gift shop, that had just received a delivery of inflatable dinghies.
Only five minutes later, Szoboszlai and Salah combined and the Egyptian King slotted home to continue his impressive opening day scoring record. This is what Ipswich Town face in the Premier League, sides have that X-Factor to take a game away from them in the blink of an eye. Prior to Jota’s goal, McKenna will have felt that his side were in with a shout of causing an upset. Just 300 seconds later, those fantasies were dead in the water.
Hutchinson had a half-chance to get his side back in the game but he blasted his volley well wide of the target. The midfielder had a lot more time than he had realised as he snatched at the attempt. Liverpool turned the screw for the remainder of the game and could have added another two or three goals. It was a deserved victory in what could have been a banana skin of a game.
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