Alexander Isak Shines with Brace in Liverpool's Victory at Ipswich

Alexander Isak walked off at Portman Road looking like a man who had finally shut a door. The injuries, the doubts, the four-goal return from a £125 million move – all of it stayed in last season. What travelled back up the A12 with him were three points, two goals and the feeling that Liverpool might just have their record signing exactly where they want him.

Two finishes in nine breathless minutes powered Liverpool to a 2-0 victory at Ipswich on Friday night and handed Andoni Iraola his first win as Liverpool manager at the third attempt. More importantly, they pushed Isak to three goals in his first three Premier League games of the new campaign, a sharp contrast to the stuttering, stop-start year that came before.

“It was not easy. It was a long injury, a difficult season in general,” the Sweden striker told Sky Sports afterwards. “I was thinking: I want to have a good World Cup firstly and then to start the season well, which I feel like I've done now. That season is kind of behind me, but it wasn't easy.”

Last year, the numbers never matched the fee. After arriving from Newcastle United for a British-record £125m, Isak’s first season at Anfield spluttered to just four goals in 22 appearances, his rhythm repeatedly broken by fitness problems. On Friday, he played like a forward intent on rewriting that narrative in fast-forward.

The goals themselves carried the mark of a striker at ease again, but they also told another story – this one about Cody Gakpo.

Twice, Gakpo split Ipswich open. First with a precise through-ball that invited Isak to stride clear and finish. Then, moments later, with an even more audacious outside-of-the-foot pass that carved the defence apart and left the Swede to do what elite centre-forwards are paid to do. Same combination, same outcome. Ipswich never recovered.

That Gakpo was even on the pitch in red, rather than lining up for Tottenham or Manchester City, felt significant. Both clubs had shown interest in the Netherlands international before the transfer deadline, but Liverpool refused to sanction a move. On this evidence, Iraola knew exactly why.

“I had no doubt with Cody. He has been very good all the preseason, has started very well the season, producing numbers,” Iraola said. “After the two assists, he finished as a number nine to help us close the game and I think it's good to have Cody because he can play in the three positions up top. To have him in this place, for the beginning of the season, it's good.

“I think Cody knows how much we value him, I think there is no doubt. I rate him very highly.”

If Isak claimed the headlines, Iraola’s comments underlined a different demand. For all the talk about goals and price tags, the new Liverpool manager framed his expectations of his No. 9 around everything else.

“Yes, with Alex, if he is fit, if he is available, if he is in good shape, I think he will produce the numbers,” Iraola told reporters. “My demands with Alex will not be about the goals, probably will be about other things. I will demand other things so we can play well, because if we play well we are in good positions and the goals will come.

“He has to contribute towards the collective and knowing when everyone helps, after the goals and assists will come.”

That line – “he has to contribute towards the collective” – felt like a mission statement. Isak’s brace delivered the result, but Iraola’s Liverpool is clearly being built on structure and shared responsibility rather than individual rescue acts.

There was another glimpse of the club’s new era just past the hour mark. France winger Bradley Barcola, fresh from his £123m move from Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the week, stepped off the bench on 64 minutes to make his Liverpool debut. The fee, the profile, the timing – it all fed into the sense of a front line being rebuilt in real time, with Isak now looking far more like the central pillar than an expensive question mark.

By full-time, the story of the night was simple. Liverpool have their first win under Iraola. Isak has his swagger back. Gakpo has underlined his value in the most tangible way possible. And with Barcola now in the mix, the competition – and the expectation – in that forward line is only going one way.