Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool analysis: 5 key takeaways from Andoni Iraola's first victory

Andoni Iraola has now claimed his first victory as Liverpool manager. On Friday night, the Reds enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road. Alexander Isak scored twice in the opening night minutes in Suffolk, and that was essentially all she wrote.

The Tractor Boys very rarely looked like scoring thereafter, Alisson generally untroubled, as Iraola's team rather cruised to a crucial victory. All the work was done in the first half, in which the Reds accumulated six shots on target, their highest tally in any match since beating Leicester on Easter Sunday in 2025.

Throughout the entirety of last season, Arne Slot's side enjoyed just one away league win by more than a solitary goal, beating West Ham 2-0 in November. Well, they have already matched that miserly total, and Iraola will hope this can kick-start the campaign.

So, here are our five takeaways from the night's action in Suffolk.

1. Alexander Isak is back to his best

His two goals against Ipswich made Isak the first Liverpool player to score twice in the opening nine minutes of a Premier League match since Maxi Rodríguez against Fulham at Craven Cottage in May 2011. This was also the Swede's first double for the club and, having been on target against Nottingham Forest last weekend, he has already matched last season's league tally of 3 league goals.

When Isak most-recently visited Portman Road in a Newcastle shirt, he bagged a hat-trick, meaning only Andy Cole, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have bagged more goals against Ipswich in Premier League. So, how does Iraola get the best out of his centre-forward, outside the confines of Suffolk?

Well, the 26 year old looked very sharp didn't he? Having had a pre-season, unlike 12 months ago, Isak looks once again like one of the very best strikers in the world, as he was during his time on Tyneside. Kopites need to hope this remains he case.

2. Not selling Cody Gakpo is Liverpool's best business of the summer

Selling Cody Gakpo to Manchester City always felt crazy, so could pulling the plug on this deal be Liverpool's best move of the summer? Friday night saw the Dutchman provide multiple assists in a Premier League game for only the second time, also doing so against Newcastle 13 months ago.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tweeted this, of course jokingly, ten minutes into the game following the second goal:

Gakpo has now assisted all three of Isak's goals this season, directly involved in four of the Reds' six goals thus far. This is the second-most of any Liverpool player three matches into a Premier League season this century, behind only Mohamed Salah in 2024/25, and the Egyptian King would end that season with 29 goals and 18 assists as Slot's side won the title. It would be quite something if Gakpo got anywhere near those numbers.

While he started on the left at Portman Road, with Víctor Muñoz on the opposite flank, the arrival of Bradley Barcola, as Carragher alludes to, is likely to force the Netherlands international onto the right, as we saw him last weekend.

Nevertheless, underlined by the fact he concluded the game as the centre-forward, his versatility is almost as important as his quality. Thus, the best attacking transfer decision the Reds made this summer could prove to be keeping a player they already had.

3. Florian Wirtz can become a key contributor

One player Liverpool fans are certainly yet to see the best of is Florian Wirtz. However, especially during the first 45 minutes, the German produced one of his best displays in a Red shirt. During the first half, he completed more dribbles (3) than the entire Ipswich XI. Meantime, also had the most final third passes (17) and touches in the opposition box (4) of any player on the field.

While Wirtz faded after the interval, he proved that, especially against teams lower down the table, he can be vital as Iraola's team seek to break down low blocks, something they will regularly be tasked with doing.

4. Ronald Araújo has to start at right-back

The sole change Iraola made to his lineup before kick off came at right-back, with Jeremie Frimpong dropping out and Ronald Araújo starting for the first time. The Uruguayan put in a solid display, racking up eight defensive contributions, winning six out of six aerials duels and three out of four ground duels.

Araújo is the antithesis of Frimpong, with the Barcelona loanee a pure, solid defender, while the Dutchman is, to put it mildly, a defensive liability. This performance at Portman Road may have seen him catapult up to number on in the defensive pecking order.

5. It will only get tougher from here

While Liverpool fans will be delighted with this victory, it is worth acknowledging that Ipswich offered very little residence. Next up for the Reds is Wednesday's Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid at Anfield, which will be a far sterner litmus test of quite how far this team have come.

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