Liverpool travel to newly-promoted Ipswich looking for their first win of the season.

Liverpool are searching for their first competitive victory under Andoni Iraola when traveling to Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Friday.

The Reds have been forced to come from behind in successive 2–2 draws with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, and failure to secure three points at Portman Road would add another layer of pressure for Iraola early in his reign.

Large sums were splashed on new talent over the summer, including $166 million on Bradley Barcola alone, but Liverpool still find themselves lacking depth in key departments. Poor squad planning could hurt them as the season progresses.

Ipswich are eager to take advantage of any uncertainty in the Liverpool ranks, although their 5–2 defeat to Manchester United last weekend after taking an initial lead will have knocked their confidence. Things had started so well for Gary O’Neil’s men, who beat Sunderland in their opener, but their trip to Old Trafford served as an almighty reality check.

The issues that derailed Liverpool’s 2025–26 campaign under Arne Slot have been on full view at the start of the new season. Defensive vulnerabilities have been exacerbated by poor performances at fullback and the absence of an orthodox holding midfielder, making them far too easy to play through both in central and wide areas.

Ipswich will look to target fast breakaways in search of a major scalp, with Newcastle and Forest having benefited from a direct, counter-attacking strategy against the Reds. They spent $285 million over the summer to make their squad competitive and the likes of Julio Enciso, Abdul Fatawu and Emersonn should make life tough for their visitors.

However, Liverpool’s deeper roster gives them an obvious advantage, and they have looked sharp going forward despite their defensive issues. They have the attacking firepower to overcome the Tractor Boys, especially with Barcola waiting in the wings for his debut.

Prediction: Ipswich 1–2 Liverpool

Summer signing Emersonn should feature against Liverpool despite coming off with a knee injury in last Sunday’s defeat. Another new recruit is a doubt, too, with Florentino Luís battling a calf problem.

Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor will all be missing, but Ipswich now have significant squad depth after a summer overhaul in the transfer market.

Not many changes are expected from the team that was eventually beaten by Manchester United, especially considering how well Ipswich played for much of the first half.

However, 2022 World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios could come into the team in midfield to help shore things up.

Ipswich predicted lineup vs. Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Scherpen; O’Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Palacios, Lukić; Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn.

Iraola has revealed that Joe Gomez will return to team training next week, but the trip to East Anglia comes too soon for him. Giovanni Leoni and Federico Chiesa won’t start training again until around the international break, while Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitiké will be missing for much longer.

There has been clamor for Dominik Szoboszlai to start at right back against Ipswich, but Iraola might keep faith in the underperforming Jeremie Frimpong for the time being.

The Hungarian appears more likely to start in midfield alongside one of Alexis Mac Allister or Ryan Gravenberch, while Victor Muñoz, last weekend’s savior for Liverpool, should line up on the right-hand side of the attack.

Iraola has suggested Barcola will be involved at Portman Road, but his lack of match fitness means Cody Gakpo should continue on the left wing from the start.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs. Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Muñoz, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.

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