Liverpool finally snagged their first Premier League victory under Andoni Iraola, beating Ipswich Town 2-0, and honestly, it felt like a massive weight lifted. After back-to-back 2-2 draws, David Lynch from Anfield Index nailed it when he said this win was important. You need to start building wins, get those points, but more than that, you need to build that confidence and get the players bought into what you’re doing. This felt like the start of something.
The Reds Are Learning to Lock It Down
What really jumped out, according to Lynch, was how Liverpool handled the game once they were up 2-0. Think about it: Ipswich ended up with 14 shots compared to Liverpool’s 10, and overall expected goals were 0.73 for the hosts against 0.66 for the visitors. But the real kicker? In the second half, Ipswich’s expected goals plummeted to 0.19 while Liverpool’s was 0.23. That’s basically nothing happening. Last season, protecting leads was an absolute Achilles heel for this squad, so seeing them “just kind of manage their way through the game” and turn the second half into an “absolute non-event” is a massive, *massive* improvement already. It shows they’re learning how to put teams away.
Isak Is On Fire and the Supporting Cast Is Shining
Alexander Isak, man, what a performance! He bagged both goals inside nine minutes and now has three Premier League goals this season. Lynch said Isak “looks absolutely determined not to take that tag and not to go down as an expensive flop” because he’s “absolutely on it.” His movement, especially before that second goal where he came back from an offside position to make another run, was just next-level stuff. He looks fit, he looks sharp, and as Lynch put it, “You’ve got one of the best strikers in the world and that is incredibly important.”
But it wasn’t just Isak. Cody Gakpo supplied both assists, continuing his productive start with one goal and three assists this season. Lynch thinks Iraola’s football could really suit him, saying Gakpo is “going to really enjoy playing this kind of football.” And how about Ronald Araujo at right-back? He was “absolutely magnificent tonight,” winning three of four ground duels, all six of his aerial duels, making seven clearances, and not getting dribbled past once. That kind of performance could provide serious balance alongside Milos Kerkez, and Lynch rightly thinks if it’s a meritocracy, Araujo has to keep his place. Even Alexis Mac Allister had a display that made Lynch admit it answered some questions.
This win against Ipswich wasn’t just three points, it was about momentum and confidence. It’s about seeing what Iraola is building and the players buying in. The next step? Keep that energy up and show everyone this isn’t a one-off. Can they build on this control and individual brilliance? We’re all watching to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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