Early Alexander Isak double leads Liverpool to victory at Ipswich
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Liverpool’s Alexander Isak celebrating his second goal of the match against Ipswich on Sept 4.
PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES
- Alexander Isak scored two goals within nine minutes, leading Liverpool to a 2-0 win against Ipswich Town in their first victory under manager Andoni Iraola.
- Cody Gakpo assisted both goals and was praised by captain Virgil van Dijk as a key player for the season amid recent transfer interest.
- Liverpool kept their first clean sheet of the campaign and moved to fifth place, while Ipswich struggled after a slow start despite some second-half chances.
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IPSWICH, England – Two goals inside the opening nine minutes from Alexander Isak earned Liverpool a 2-0 Premier League win at promoted Ipswich Town on Sept 4 and a first victory under new manager Andoni Iraola, following a stuttering start to the campaign.
“He’s a massive player for us,” Iraola said of Isak’s revival. “I know that he’s fit, he’s in good shape, he’s going to produce the numbers. My fights with him are more about other stuff, about how to help the team in all the situations.”
Cody Gakpo, who was the subject of a transfer bid by Manchester City this week, was the creator of both goals, with Liverpool quick out of the blocks and able to comfortably see out the remainder of the match.
The Merseysiders provisionally climbed to fifth in the table with five points from their three matches, while Ipswich are in 13th place with three points from the same number of games, ahead of matches played on Sept 5.
There was a debut off the bench for Liverpool’s £107 million (S$183 million) new signing Bradley Barcola as the visitors kept their first clean sheet of the campaign following a pair of 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
“It was a good performance,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports.
“We were more direct in the beginning, which is what we wanted. Two great balls from Cody, who was outstanding. A good win and on to the next.
“I said before the transfer window closed that he (Gakpo) is important for us and will be this season. He showed it today again.”
It was a workmanlike display in a game where Liverpool never looked ruffled but also showed little in the way of attacking threat in the second half, managing just a single shot on target.
Ipswich will rue their slow start and feel that they contained the visitors well after that, but in truth they did not do enough to earn a point.
Isak (right) scoring his first goal of the match for Liverpool.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Liverpool were in front inside six minutes as Gakpo picked up the ball 37m from goal and his superb pass picked out Isak, whose shot was too powerful for Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen.
It was 2-0 three minutes later, and Gakpo was the architect again. His pass found Isak, who twisted and turned and slipped the ball past an exposed Scherpen, who was in no-man’s land, having come out of his goal.
Dominik Szoboszlai twice tested the reflexes of Scherpen from outside the box, while at the other end Ipswich created chances and Leif Davis headed over at the back post when he should have hit the target.
Liverpool introduced Barcola, substituting Victor Munoz after 64 minutes, but it was a tame end to the game as neither side were able to find another goal.
“We needed it. Definitely needed this one. Also the way it has been, I think, with a clean sheet,” said Iraola. REUTERS, AFP