Ipswich host Liverpool at Portman Road on Friday night, with both sides looking to make a statement in Gameweek 3 of the Premier League season. The Tractor Boys have picked up three points from their opening two games, while Liverpool are still searching for their first win after consecutive 2-2 draws. Both sides have shown plenty of attacking threat so far, but neither has been particularly convincing defensively. This could make for an entertaining game under the lights.
Ipswich look for a second win
Ipswich made an impressive start to their return to the Premier League, beating Sunderland 2-1 on the opening weekend. A late Jack Clarke winner secured all three points, before the Tractor Boys followed this up with a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City.
However, Gary O’Neil’s side were brought back down to earth last weekend, suffering a 5-2 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Ipswich took the lead through Leif Davis, but several individual errors eventually proved costly. Despite the heavy scoreline, there were positives for O’Neil to take from the performance, particularly going forward.
One of those positives has been Emersonn, who scored in Ipswich’s opening Premier League game. The Brazilian forward was forced off at half-time against Manchester United with a knee issue, but has returned to training and is expected to be available for Liverpool. His pace and directness could cause problems for a Liverpool defence which has already conceded four goals this season.
Ipswich have also added to their attacking options, bringing in Zian Flemming from Burnley on deadline day. The Dutchman could make his debut against Liverpool, giving O’Neil another option in the final third.
The Tractor Boys will still be without Jaden Philogene and Jack Taylor, while Azor Matusiwa is also expected to miss out. However, with a strong home crowd behind them and Liverpool yet to win this season, Ipswich will fancy their chances of causing an upset.
Liverpool seek first win after back-to-back draws
Liverpool have endured a frustrating opening to the season under new manager Andoni Iraola. The Reds have drawn 2-2 against both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, conceding late goals in both games. While Liverpool have shown plenty of character to come from behind, they will be disappointed to have dropped points from winning positions.
The main concern for Liverpool has been their defending. Conceding four goals in their first two league games is not what Iraola would have wanted, particularly with the quality they have going forward. They will need to be more disciplined against an Ipswich side that has already shown it can punish mistakes.
There is some exciting news for Liverpool fans, however, with new signing Bradley Barcola available to make his debut. The French winger joined from Paris Saint-Germain for a huge fee and could provide another attacking option for Iraola. Barcola has not played much recently, so a place on the bench may be more likely, but his introduction could give Liverpool a different dimension in attack.
Injury news is less positive. Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain sidelined, while Giovanni Leoni is also unavailable. Joe Gomez is expected to return to training next week, meaning he will not be involved at Portman Road.
Liverpool will be expected to win this game, but their opening two performances suggest it may not be as straightforward as many would expect. Ipswich have already shown they can score goals, while Liverpool are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league. If the Reds can improve defensively, they should have enough quality to take all three points. However, Ipswich will be confident that they can make life difficult for the visitors.
