Liverpool will begin their Premier League campaign against the newly promoted Ipswich Town, looking to start with a win away from home.
Arne Slot will be hoping to win his first league game in charge of Liverpool when they lock horns with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon. The Dutch manager was chosen to replace Jurgen Klopp, and he will be under significant pressure.
Ipswich Town will look to keep themselves in the Premier League beyond this season, and a good start to the campaign could be key. A win over Liverpool would give the Tractor Boys the perfect start, and the confidence to do well for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool failed to challenge for the league title last season, and they will be desperate to bounce back strongly. A club of their stature is expected to compete with Arsenal and Manchester City regularly. A win here would give them a good start and the momentum to build on.
They will be the favourites to beat the newly promoted side, and it remains to be seen whether they can grind out all three points. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between Liverpool and Ipswich Town
Team News & Tactics
Ipswich Town
The home side will be without five players for their opening game of the season. Harry Clarke misses out with a calf injury, George Hirst has a knee injury, Nathan Broadhead has a thigh problem, Janoi Donacien misses out with a groin issue, and Cameron Humphreys is also sidelined with a knock.
Ipswich Town will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Liverpool, with Arijanet Muric taking his spot in goal. Ben Johnson and Leif Davis will start as the full-backs here, and they will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves will start in the central defence.
Sam Morsy and Jack Taylor will start in the double pivot in the middle of the park, and they will look to protect the back four and break up opposition attacks. Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson will look to add goals and creativity to the side from the wide areas. Conor Chaplin will start centrally, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Liam Delap with lead the line for the hosts.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Muric; Johnson, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Taylor; Burns, Chaplin, Hutchison; Delap
Liverpool
The Reds do not have any major injury issues heading into the contest, and Arne Slot will be able to field a full-strength side. Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Ipswich Town, with Alisson Becker in goal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out defensively and join in on the attack as well. Ibrahima Konate will pair up at the heart of the defence alongside club captain Virgil van Dijk.
In the midfield pivot, Alexis Mac Allister will add creativity and control alongside Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutchman will look to control the tempo of the game. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will add pace and flair from the flanks. They will look to open up the home defence and chip in with goals as well.
Darwin Nunez will lead the line for Liverpool, with Dominik Szoboszlai behind him. The Hungarian international will be deployed in a free role, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities and add drive to the side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez
Key Stats
- Liverpool are undefeated in 28 of their last 31 matches in the Premier League.
- Liverpool have scored at least two goals in their last four matches in the Premier League.
- Ipswich have failed to win 12 of their last 13 matches in the Premier League, although those games came several years ago.
- 16 goals have been scored in the last five matches between these two sides. Liverpool have never lost a Premier League match at Portman Road against Ipswich Town (P5 W3 D2), with their last visit a 6-0 win in February 2002. They have played more games there without losing than any other ground in the Premier League.
- No player in Premier League history has scored more goals on Gameweek 1 than Mohamed Salah (8, level with Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard, and Wayne Rooney). Only Rooney (13 – 8 goals, 5 assists) has more goal involvements on the opening matchday in the competition than the Egyptian (12 – 8 goals, 4 assists).
Player to Watch
Dominik Szoboszlai
The Hungarian midfielder has excelled in the free role during pre-season, and he will be our key player to watch out for. He will look to make a big difference in the final third for the Reds. Szoboszlai will add goals and creativity to the side. His ability to link up with his teammates in the final third will open up spaces in the Ipswich Town defence, and he has shown that he can find the back of the net with a fierce shot as well.
Prediction
Ipswich Town 1-2 Liverpool
The home team will look to put up a strong fight here. This is their first game in the Premier League after an eternity, and they will not want to end up on the losing side. A close contest is on the cards, but Liverpool have the quality to come out on top eventually.
The Reds should be able to edge this one in the end. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought battle between Ipswich Town and Liverpool before Arne Slot’s charges eke out a narrow 2-1 victory.
