Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool: Arne Slot’s reign begins successfully with goals from Diogo Jota and Mo Salah leading Liverpool to victory over Ipswich Town.
Arne Slot got off to a dream start as Liverpool manager with a 2-0 victory over Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The match, which was the first live Premier League fixture of the 2024/25 season for TNT Sports, saw Ipswich hold their own in the first half, keeping Liverpool at bay.
However, Liverpool came out firing in the second half, showcasing their quality and dominance. Diogo Jota opened the scoring for Liverpool on the hour mark after a brilliant run from Mohamed Salah, who left Ipswich defender Leif Davis in his wake. Just five minutes later, Salah got a goal of his own after a neat one-two with Dominik Szoboszlai, slotting the ball under Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.
While Liverpool seemed slow to adapt to Slot’s new style of play, the result was a comfortable win for the Dutchman in his debut as Liverpool boss. However, there were signs that it may take some time for Liverpool to fully adjust to Slot’s tactics.
The match highlighted the need for Liverpool to address the “anchor” role in their squad, as they struggled to contain Ipswich in the first half. Despite this, Liverpool showed their quality in the second half, with Salah being the standout player on the pitch. His performance was capped off with an assist and a goal, earning him the title of Player of the Match.
For Ipswich, the match served as a lesson in the relentlessness of the Premier League. They showed promise, with new signing Liam Delap impressing up front and Jacob Greaves providing a strong presence in defense.
Overall, it was a solid start for Slot as Liverpool manager, but there is still work to be done for the team to reach their full potential under his leadership.