New Delhi: Liverpool will lock horns with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday at 5 pm in their opening fixture. For the fifth time in the last six seasons, the Reds will begin their Premier League campaign with a match against a newly promoted side ( Win-3 Draw-1 previously). Liverpool are unbeaten on Matchday 1 in their last 11 seasons with eight wins and three draws. They last lost 3-0 to West Brom in 2012-13 in Brendan Rodgers’ first game in charge.
Though Liverpool started the summer off with a shocking 1-0 loss to Preston North End in a private match, they bounced back to win four straight against legendary teams Real Betis, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Sevilla before playing to a scoreless tie in a low-key match at an empty Anfield against Las Palmas.
Meanwhile, Ipswich Town have ended their 22-year exile from the big time with the honour of facing a daunting Liverpool. A second-placed ranking was sufficient to propel the Tractor Boys back into the top flight. Ipswich’s pre-season preparations were positive as McKenna oversaw a trio of 1-0 victories over Shakhtar Donetsk, Hoffenheim and Nice, with the only blot being a 2-1 beating at the hands of Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Slot has made a few statements this summer, but the same cannot be said of Liverpool’s transfer gurus. The Reds’ impatient supporters are still waiting for their first summer addition, and the team is giving priority to contracts to players like Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mohamed Salah.
In contrast, many new players have entered through the Portman Road doors due to Ipswich’s second consecutive promotion. Last season, the 2022–23 League One runners-up narrowly lost to Leicester City in the Championship.
The Tractor Boys prepare to end their lengthy exile from the top flight of English football, whereas the Reds gear up for their first competitive match under the wings of new manager Arne Slot.
Team News
Liverpool were set to travel to Ipswich for their opening game with just one injury concern in the shape of Bobby Clark, but he is now expected to join Pep Lijnders’s Red Bull Salzburg in a £10m deal. As a result, Arne Slot has all his troops available for his Premier League baptism.
Despite the contractual issues, Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold are certain starters for the Reds. However, there have been rumours that Slot is not too fond of Ibrahima Konate, who began the Las Palmas friendly, while Jarell Quansah was selected in front of the supporters against Sevilla.
On the other hand, Ipswich have a serious concern about Cameron Humphreys (unspecified) getting fit for play. In contrast, the Ipswich medical staff is also recovering a few players, including Harry Clarke (Achilles), George Hirst (knee), Nathan Broadhead (thigh), and Janoi Donacien (adductor).
Nine players have moved to Portman Road on permanent deals this summer, and at least a handful of them, including Arijanet Muric, Liam Delap, Jacob Greaves, and ex-Arsenal and Chelsea youngster Omari Hutchinson, should come straight into the starting XI.
Head-to-Head
LIVERPOOL – MAY 11: Hermann Hreidarsson of Ipswich Town shields the ball from Abel Xavier of Liverpool during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match played at Anfield, in Liverpool, England on May 11, 2002. Liverpool won the match 5-0. DIGITAL IMAGE. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Liverpool and Ipswich’s Saturday game will be their 73rd meeting. Ipswich Town’s most recent Premier League game was in May 2002 against Liverpool at Anfield where the two sides last crossed paths in the fourth round of the 2002-03 League Cup where the Reds won by a scoreline of 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Liverpool have been victorious on 37 occasions, while Ipswich have managed to beat the Reds just 14 times.
Liverpool’s last visit to Portman Road for a Premier League fixture was in February 2002 where they won by 6-0. With no defeat in five games, Liverpool have played at Portman Road more times without losing a Premier League match than any other stadium.
Predicted lineup
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Ipswich: Muric; Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Greaves; Johnson, Luongo, Morsy, Davis; Hutchinson, Delap, Harness
When, where, and how to watch the Liverpool vs Ipswich match in India?
The Liverpool vs Ipswich Premier League 2024-25 match will be telecast live by Star Sports Network in India. Fans can join the Star Sports Network at 5:00 pm tomorrow to watch the game. For those looking for a streaming option, the match will also be streaming live on the Disney+ Hotstar website and app.
Match Prediction
The first match of the season is always difficult to predict, given that there’s very little information to go on. Pre-season is never a true indicator of what a team holds and its current form. Liverpool are expected to wear down their rival’s backline in the opening match of their campaign.
While McKenna’s men can keep the scoreline respectable, having demonstrated defensive prowess in the pre-season, we can only envisage Liverpool heading strong into the season with their first three points of the Slot era.
Final Scoreline: Liverpool 2-0 Ipswich
Liverpool take on Ipswich at Portman Road in their Premier League opener. Get the latest on team news, lineups, and match insights. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
