Arne Slot hails ‘almost perfect’ Liverpool in dominant victory over Ipswich | OneFootball

Liverpool strengthened their grip on the Premier League title with a comfortable 4-1 victory over relegation-threatened Ipswich at Anfield. The win ensured Arne Slot’s side maintained their six-point cushion over Arsenal.The Reds entered the match as overwhelming favourites and wasted no time asserting their dominance. Dominik Szoboszlai, who has grown into a pivotal figure for Liverpool in recent weeks, opened the scoring within 10 minutes. The Hungarian midfielder latched onto a sharp pass from Ibrahima Konaté, controlled it brilliantly, and opted to fire past the Ipswich goalkeeper instead of passing to Mohamed Salah. It was a decision that paid off, drawing praise from head coach Slot.“The lead-up to Szoboszlai’s goal was impressive,” Slot said. “Ibou played a big part in it, threading the ball through the lines. At first, I thought, ‘play it to Mo,’ but Dominik decided to take it himself. It’s so pleasing to see him on the scoresheet because he works incredibly hard for the team every game.Szoboszlai’s all-around contribution was impressive, with the midfielder demonstrating his growing influence in Liverpool’s midfield. His tireless work rate, both on and off the ball, has silenced any early-season doubts about his role in Slot’s system.“if you zoom in on Dom, I think at the beginning of the season he would have played that ball to Mo, which most of the time was a very good choice because Mo can definitely score a goal as well,” Slot added.

“And now he decided to go for the goal himself and scored the goal himself. Nice for him because, in my opinion, he is a bit underestimated.”“Not by me, but he doesn’t always get the credits for the fact he is very important for this team, because his work-rate is un-be-lievable. He just keeps on running with the highest intensity, and that is so important for a team that wants to compete for something.”Liverpool’s relentlessness overwhelmed Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich side in the first half. Salah doubled the lead with a composed finish, while Cody Gakpo added a third before half time, capping off a sweeping team move. The Reds’ incisive passing and high pressing left Ipswich with little chance to respond, pinning the visitors deep in their half for most of the opening 45 minutes.The second half saw more of the same dominance from Liverpool. Gakpo struck again in the 66th minute, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box to secure his brace and effectively end Ipswich’s hopes of a comeback.Despite Liverpool’s near-total control, Ipswich managed a late consolation. Julio Enciso delivered a pinpoint cross from a corner, which Jacob Greaves nodded past Alisson in the 90th minute. Slot admitted the lapse in concentration at the end left a slight blemish on what was otherwise a dominant performance.“Scoring four goals and controlling the game like we did is always nice,” Slot reflected. “We hardly gave away any chances, and I don’t think we allowed almost any counterattacks against their quick forwards. Unfortunately, we conceded from a set piece at the end, which prevents it from being a complete performance. But overall, it was a decent, dominant display.”Liverpool’s victory further cements their title credentials, keeping them well clear of their rivals as they chase Premier League glory. For Ipswich, the loss compounds their struggles as they remain rooted in the relegation zone, searching for answers to avoid the drop.