Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool: Arne Slot era begins with a win

Arne Slot became the first Liverpool manager to win their opening Premier League Game, with second half goals from Diogo Jota and Mo Salah seeing off newly-promoted Ipswich.

Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool

Premier League (1), Portman Road
August 17, 2024

Goals

Jota 60′ (assist: Salah)
Salah 65′ (assist: Szoboszlai)

Slot’s first lineup featured Ryan Gravenberch as the No.6, with the boss insisting pre-match that the 22-year-old “has the attributes to play there,” while Andy Robertson got the nod over Kostas Tsimikas at left-back.

The opening exchanges were as you’d expect, with a fervent crowd backing the home side in their first Game in the top flight for 22 years.

Liverpool, meanwhile, looked understandably rusty. In truth they lacked any of the characteristics of a Slot side, with their best route to goal via long balls or on the counter attack.

The best chances of the first half fell for the home side, with Alisson making a couple of decent saves.

Arguably the Reds’ best chance of the half fell to Alexander-Arnold right before the break but he put his shot over the bar from the edge of the box.

The incomPetent standard of refereeing continued into the new season, with Ipswich‘s Wes Burns not given a second booking despite a blatant handball where he literally scooped the ball up.

Half time: Ipswich 0-0 Liverpool

• Slot era begins with a win
• Salah sets PL record for opening day PL goals
• Gravenberch does well as No.6

Jarell Quansah was replaced by Ibrahima Konate at half time.

Luis Diaz had a chance after a nice moving involving Szobozslai and Alexander-Arnold, but the No.7’s finish was poor before being clattered by the ‘keeper.

A superb cross from Trent then delivered the best chance of the Game just before the hour, but Diogo Jota headed just wide from six yards out – he should have scored.

It didn’t matter, though, as a minute later Jota had the ball in the back of the net from a lovely move that ended with Salah squaring for the Portuguese to finish for the goal of the Slot era.

Liverpool were now dominant and the second goal arrived five minutes later when Van Dijk’s long ball played in Salah, he exchanged passes with Szoboszlai, and Salah finished for his record ninth opening day goal of a Premier League season.

The Reds controlled the Game better and created plenty of chances. Salah was especially enjoying himself, with a lovely ball releasing Diaz.

Liverpool should have scored more; a four vs. two counter attack later on being a prime opportunity to do so.

Slot will no doubt highlight areas for improvement but a win and a clean sheet is an ideal start. The vast improvement in the second half will be especially pleasing.

TIA Man of the Match: Mo Salah

Referee: Tim Robinson

Ipswich: Walton; Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Greaves; Davis, Morsy, Luongo, Burns; Chaplin, Hutchinson; Delap

Subs: Slicker, Johnson, Burgess, Townsend, Phillips, Taylor, Szmodics, Harness, Al-Hamadi

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 76′), Quansah (Konate 46′), Van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 79′); Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota (Gakpo 79′)

Subs not used: Kelleher, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Nunez

Next Match: Brentford (H) – Premier League – Sunday, August 25