Liverpool vs Ipswich Town – Match Preview and team news

The Football Faithful

·25 janvier 2025

Liverpool vs Ipswich Town – Match Preview and team news

Liverpool host Ipswich Town this afternoon in the reverse fixture of their encounter on opening day of the Premier League season.

The Arne Slot era got off to the perfect start at Portman Road with a 2-0 win in August.

Vidéos OneFootball

Liverpool maintained their perfect record in the Champions League on Tuesday night as they beat 10-man Lille 2-1 at Anfield.

After being forced off at halftime against the Ligue 1 outfit, Curtis Jones isn’t fit for this afternoon’s clash. The expectation is that the midfielder won’t out for months, but he will be a doubt for the next fortnight. Jones joins Joe Gomez (hamstring) and Diogo Jota (muscle strain) on the treatment table.

Ipswich were dealt their joint-heaviest home defeat in Premier League history last weekend as they lost 6-0 to Manchester City. The only other time they have shipped six goals without reply at home in the competition was against today’s opponents in February 2002.

Kieran McKenna is likely to be without Sammie Szmodics and Conor Chaplin for the trip to Anfield. The attacking pair have missed the last few weeks of action through injury.

Liverpool vs Ipswich Town – Match Preview and team news

Form

Liverpool: LWDWW

Liverpool secured their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League with a tight victory over Lille. Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott scored either side of a Jonathan David equaliser to preserve their maximum points return in Europe. It is highly likely they will finish at the summit of the league phase, with second place Barcelona three points behind them with one game to go.

The Merseyside outfit will now turn their attention back to the Premier League, where they also find themselves top of the table. They boast a six-point lead over Arsenal with a game in hand, which is the rearranged Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park.

Ipswich: WDWLL

A dejected Ipswich were hit for six by Manchester City last weekend at Portman Road. An error-laden performance was punished by the champions with Phil Foden recording a brace.

That abysmal result saw the Tractor Boys drop back down into the relegation zone on goal difference, with Wolves narrowly ahead of them.

Ipswich haven’t won at Anfield since the turn of the millennia. It is undeniable that Kieran McKenna’s team need to start picking up points to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Read – Liverpool injury news as Slot confirms midfielder will miss Ipswich clash

Last Meeting

Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool, Premier League, 17th August 2024

It was opening day delight for Liverpool back in August as they were the villains in Ipswich’s return to the Premier League.

The Tractor Boys had waited 22 years to experience top-flight football again, but they were eventually overwhelmed by the quality of the Reds. For two thirds of the contest, Kieran McKenna’s backline defended with valour. Diogo Jota missed the biggest opportunity for Liverpool shortly after the interval.

Following two brave blocks from the hosts, Trent Alexander-Arnold was afforded the time and space to cross into the box. His pinpoint delivery was attacked by Jota, who directed a header just wide of the post.

Ipswich’s resistance was finally broken on the hour mark as the Portuguese international atoned for his glaring miss to open the scoring in Suffolk. Alexander-Arnold was the architect again as he incisively played through Mohamed Salah who teed up Jota to find the top corner.

It didn’t take long for Slot’s side to double their advantage with Salah netting on the opening day for a record ninth time. Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass was helped into the Egyptian’s path by Leif Davis before he dispatched past Christian Walton.

With a lively crowd behind them, Ipswich couldn’t muster a response and Liverpool collected the three points and a clean sheet.

What time is kick-off?

Kick-off at Anfield will be at 15:00 GMT on Saturday, 25 January, 2025.

What TV channel will Liverpool vs Ipswich be on?

Liverpool vs Ipswich will not be available to be watch in the United Kingdom due to the 3pm blackout.

Read – Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend

Predicted Line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Gakpo.

Ipswich: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste, Morsy; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene-Bidace.

Who is the referee?

Michael Salisbury will be the match official. Mat Wilkes and Derek Eaton will assist him while Darren Bond will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Paul Tierney and he will be assisted by Craig Taylor.