Premier League Gameweek 3
Ipswich 0 - 2 FT Liverpool
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Alexander Isak (Cody Gakpo) 6'
Alexander Isak (Cody Gakpo) 9'
41' Julio Enciso
HT
Jérémy Jacquet 52'
Milos Kerkez 57'
↓ Alexander Isak ↑Ryan Gravenberch 64'
↓ Víctor Muñoz ↑Bradley Barcola 64'
66' ↓ Daizen Maeda ↑Jack Clarke
66' ↓ Emersonn ↑Zian Flemming
78' ↓ Exequiel Palacios ↑Abdoul Ouattara
79' ↓ Abdul Fatawu Issahaku ↑Kasey McAteer
↓ Alexis Mac Allister ↑Treymaurice Nyoni 84'
↓ Florian Wirtz ↑Lewis Koumas 90'+1
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Ipswich
Goalkeepers
Kjell Scherpen 
OCTOPUS
5
Saves
5
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Dara O'Shea 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
75%
Duel Win %
Issa Diop 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jacob Greaves
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leif Davis 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
23%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Saša Lukić 
MAGNET
66
Activity
66
Activity
62
Passes
4
Duels
Exequiel Palacios 
ENFORCER
4
Tackles
4
Tackles
8
Duels Won
80%
Win %
Abdul Fatawu 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Julio Enciso 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
2
Interceptions
2
Blocks
Daizen Maeda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
66
Total Mins
66
Entry
Forwards
Emersonn
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
66
Total Mins
66
Entry
BENCH
Christian Walton 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Abdoul Ouattara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cedric Kipre
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Darnell Furlong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kasey McAteer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marcelino Nunez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Florentino Luís
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jack Clarke
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
24
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Zian Flemming
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
24
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Liverpool
Goalkeepers
Alisson Becker
OCTOPUS
5
Saves
5
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Ronald Araújo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jérémy Jacquet
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
45%
Duel Win %
Virgil van Dijk
MAGNET
94
Activity
94
Activity
90
Passes
4
Duels
Miloš Kerkez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Dominik Szoboszlai
MAGNET
65
Activity
65
Activity
61
Passes
4
Duels
Alexis Mac Allister
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Víctor Muñoz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
64
Total Mins
64
Entry
Florian Wirtz
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Cody Gakpo
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
2
Assists
34%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Alexander Isak 
HITMAN
2
Goals
2
Goals
2
On Target
9.0
Rating
BENCH
Giorgi Mamardashvili
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Konstantinos Tsimikas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jeremie Frimpong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wataru Endo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryan Gravenberch
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Trey Nyoni
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
6
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lewis Koumas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Bradley Barcola
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rio Ngumoha
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/25/2025 | Liverpool | 4 - 1 | Ipswich | Premier League | Anfield |
| 08/17/2024 | Ipswich | 0 - 2 | Liverpool | Premier League | Portman Road |
Ipswich Win
Liverpool Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -3
League Standings
P: 5 GD: +8
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +11
P: 5 GD: +6
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -1
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -9
P: 5 GD: -3
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Ipswich
Liverpool
Ipswich
Liverpool
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Lightning Strikes Twice: Isak Downs Ipswich
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 33/100. Our verdict is that a lethal opening ten minutes from Alexander Isak proved too steep a mountain for the hosts to climb, despite a spirited second-half push.
The Early Blitz
The Intensity at Portman Road was off the charts from the opening kickoff, but it was the visitors who weaponised the chaotic energy. It took merely six minutes for Liverpool to completely carve open the home defence, with Cody Gakpo sliding a perfectly weighted pass for Alexander Isak to confidently convert. Before Ipswich could even process the initial setback, lightning struck twice in spectacular fashion. Just three minutes later, the exact same attacking duo combined again, leaving the newly promoted hosts staring hopelessly at a two-goal deficit. The sheer speed of this double blow completely shifted the Balance of the match, forcing the home side to abandon their initial defensive shape and chase the game much earlier than their manager would have ever anticipated.
Pushing for a Lifeline
Staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat, the hosts flatly refused to wave the white flag. They actually managed 14 total shots—four more than their illustrious visitors—turning the middle phase of the match into a surprisingly open and expansive affair. However, finding a way past Alisson Becker proved to be an impossible task. The Brazilian shot-stopper was in absolutely commanding form, making five crucial saves to ruthlessly deny every wave of pressure. Liverpool controlled possession at 55%, using the ball wisely to dictate the rhythm whenever the crowd tried to rally their team forward. The Stakes felt incredibly high for a home side desperate to secure early-season momentum, but every single promising attack simply crashed against a resolute defensive wall.
VAR Halts the Drama
The defining moment of the second half arrived in the 69th minute, briefly threatening to inject late, chaotic drama into the contest. Dominik Szoboszlai initially looked to have won a penalty, which surely would have sealed the victory completely or at least totally changed the tactical landscape for the closing stages. Instead, VAR intervened, overturning the on-field decision and giving the home side a tiny glimmer of hope. Despite this sudden reprieve, the Upset Factor remained firmly at zero. The visitors expertly and professionally managed the remaining minutes, absorbing the final domestic pushes and securing their first win of the campaign to bounce back emphatically from two earlier frustrating draws.
Key Questions
How did VAR change this match?
In the 69th minute, VAR overturned a penalty awarded to Dominik Szoboszlai, denying Liverpool a guaranteed third goal and keeping the hosts' faint hopes mathematically alive.
What made A. Isak the Man of the Match?
He scored a devastating early brace in the 6th and 9th minutes, demonstrating clinical finishing that ultimately decided the contest before it truly began.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A test of early momentum at Portman Road
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 12/100. An unconvincing start leaves Liverpool vulnerable against a confident Ipswich side, making this an intriguing, if not strictly essential, early-season watch.
The Setup
September 04, 2026, brings an interesting Premier League dynamic as Liverpool head to Portman Road. Sitting 10th after an opening draw, the visitors are already looking to find their rhythm. Meanwhile, Ipswich opened their campaign perfectly, sitting 8th with three points in the bag. With early-season matches, the Stakes are naturally low, and the standings have yet to settle. However, a high Stars rating guarantees quality on the pitch. The away side brings heavy hitters like F. Wirtz and D. Szoboszlai to the table, but a modest combined Form rating suggests both squads are still shaking off the summer rust. The competitive Balance tilts heavily toward the visitors, but early momentum can often bridge the talent gap.
Key Battle
The defining clash will be a tactical one: the home side's compact, resilient defensive block trying to stifle the visitors' highly technical midfield engine room. If Ipswich can frustrate the central spaces, they might just snatch something on the counter.
Our Prediction
We expect Liverpool's sheer individual brilliance to eventually wear the hosts down. It will likely be a gritty affair, but the visitors should walk away with a narrow 2-1 victory.