Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot, kicked off his Premier League reign with a convincing 2-0 victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The match, witnessed by Ipswich’s new minority shareholder and music superstar Ed Sheeran, saw the home side hold their own against the Reds in a tightly contested first half. Ipswich created opportunities, but failed to capitalize on them.
The second half witnessed a marked improvement from Liverpool. Diogo Jota put the visitors ahead in the 60th minute, and five minutes later, a well-constructed move was finished off by Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah to effectively seal the victory. Salah’s goal also etched his name in Premier League history. He now holds the record for most goals in the opening round of a Premier League season with nine, surpassing the previous record shared by Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Alan Shearer.
Liverpool continued to create chances throughout the game, but two goals proved sufficient to overcome the challenge posed by Ipswich in their first Premier League fixture. The win bodes well for Liverpool as they embark on a new era under Slot.