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Ipswich vs Liverpool: Iraola Aims for First Win at Portman Road

Portman Road will feel like the centre of the Premier League on Friday night. Newly returned Ipswich Town, still stung by a hammering at Old Trafford, welcome a Liverpool side searching – somewhat uncomfortably – for their first league win under Andoni Iraola.

Kick-off is 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET) in Suffolk, where the stands are sold out and the away end is locked in. Every ticket is gone. Every angle of this one matters.

Where to Watch Around the World

In the UK, the match sits on prime billing. Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event carry the live coverage, with NOW TV offering streaming access.

Across the Atlantic, USA Network has the broadcast in the United States, with FuboTV streaming the game. Canadian viewers can also turn to FuboTV Canada.

Sky Sport picks up the action in Germany, while Canal+ shows it in France. In India and across the subcontinent, Star Sports Select and Disney+ Hotstar will screen the clash.

Optus Sport has the rights in Australia, with Sky Sport NZ taking care of New Zealand. SuperSport MaXimo will beam the game across Sub-Saharan Africa, while ESPN and Disney+ handle coverage in South America.

For those on the move, Liverpool supporters can still plug into the occasion: free live audio commentary will run through the official Liverpool FC app.

Ipswich: O’Neil Plots a Reaction

Ipswich started their campaign brightly with a win over Sunderland, only to be dragged back to reality in a 5-2 defeat to Manchester United. That result leaves Gary O’Neil with a clear brief: tighten up, and fast.

There is concern over Emersonn, who limped off last weekend and remains a doubt. O’Neil is expected to respond by locking things down with a compact five-man defence. That likely means Darnell Furlong stepping into a wing-back role, asked to shuttle relentlessly up and down the flank.

In midfield, Exequiel Palacios is tipped to get the nod in the engine room ahead of Marcelino Nunez, giving Ipswich more control and bite in central areas.

Ipswich’s predicted XI:

  • Scherpen;
  • Furlong, O’Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis;
  • Fatawu, Palacios, Lukic, Maeda;
  • Enciso.

It’s a line-up that suggests caution, but not fear. Width from the wing-backs, legs in midfield, and enough threat in Enciso and Maeda to punish Liverpool on the break.

Liverpool: New Era, Same Expectation

Two games, two 2-2 draws. Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have already tested Iraola’s new-look Liverpool, and the sense is clear: this is a side still finding its shape after major departures.

Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson have all moved on, ripping out three pillars of the team. The defence, in particular, is undergoing surgery on the fly.

Injuries have not helped. Joe Gomez is out, as are Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa and Giovanni Leoni. Depth is being stretched before autumn has even arrived.

There is intrigue around Bradley Barcola, the €125 million signing who has travelled with the squad. He is expected to start on the bench as he adjusts to Iraola’s demands, but his presence alone underlines the scale of Liverpool’s rebuild.

Liverpool’s predicted XI:

  • Alisson;
  • Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez;
  • Gravenberch, Szoboszlai;
  • Munoz, Wirtz, Gakpo;
  • Isak.

Dominik Szoboszlai is set for a personal landmark: his 150th appearance for the club. In a side in transition, he has become one of the constants.

History and Odds Favour the Visitors

Liverpool arrive with history firmly on their side. They are unbeaten in all six of their Premier League visits to Portman Road, winning four and drawing two. Trips to Suffolk have rarely rattled them.

Defensively, the record is even more stark. Liverpool have not conceded more than one goal in any of their last 11 competitive meetings with Ipswich. When these teams meet, Liverpool usually keep things tight at the back and ruthless up front.

The last five clashes tell the story of a one-sided modern rivalry:

  • 4-1 to Liverpool in January 2025
  • 2-0 in August 2024
  • 5-0 in May 2002
  • 6-0 in February 2002
  • 1-0 in December 2000

And yet, O’Neil himself offers a twist. He was the last manager of a newly promoted side to beat Liverpool, doing it with Bournemouth in 2023. He knows what it takes to spring an upset on a heavyweight.

The bookmakers still lean heavily towards the visitors. Liverpool are priced at 11/20 to win, with the draw at 7/2 and an Ipswich victory out at 4/1.

So the numbers say one thing. The noise at Portman Road may say another. On a Friday night under the lights, with Iraola chasing his first league win and O’Neil hunting another scalp, which story takes hold?

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