Ipswich vs Liverpool Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League
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Following back-to-back promotions, Ipswich Town are beginning their return to England’s top-flight with a clash against one of the most successful teams in world football in Liverpool at Portman Road this weekend.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 17th August, 2024 - UK – 12:30pm / US ET – 7:30m / US PT – 4:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – USA Network & Universo
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TNT Sports / US – Fubo, Sling Blue & DirecTV Stream
IPSWICH PREVIEW: TRACTOR BOYS ON THE PUSH
At the start of the summer, Ipswich Town were in danger of losing Kieran McKenna with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United both linked but the Northern Irishman, who has overseen their rise from League One, remains in charge and that is arguably their most important piece of business this summer.
McKenna does have his work majorly cut out to ensure Ipswich avoid the drop. In the Championship last season, they were utterly magnificent to watch with their 46 games 149 goals with 92 scored and 57 conceded but they will have to be a lot tighter at the back if they are to avoid the drop this time around.
LIVERPOOL PREVIEW: REDS BEGINNING NEW ERA
Liverpool are heading into a season for the first time in nearly a decade without Jurgen Klopp at the helm. Former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has arrived at Anfield and it has been a very quiet first summer for the Dutchman with the Reds being the only club in the Premier League without a first-team incoming in the transfer window.
They have reportedly been rejected by Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, whilst key players such as Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah all have just one year left on their current contracts. Slot will need to hit the ground running to avoid the swell of potential ‘doom and gloom’ on Merseyside.
IPSWICH TEAM NEWS: THE ARRIVAL OF SZMODICS
On Friday, Ipswich Town completed the signing of Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn Rovers and Kieran McKenna has said in his pre-match press conference that he expects the 2023/24 Championship golden boot winner to be in his squad this weekend.
The Tractor Boys do have a few injury issues, though, with defender Harry Clarke suffering from an Achilles injury, whilst forwards Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst are both unavailable, too.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Muric; Johnson, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Hutchinson, Chaplin, Burns; Delap
UNAVAILABLE: Clarke (Injured), Broadhead (Injured), Hirst (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS: THE BLESSED SLOT
After a couple of seasons in which Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp have had to deal with key injury issues almost throughout the campaign, Arne Slot begins his reign as Reds boss with a fully fit and available squad this weekend.
The expectation is that Diogo Jota, who opened the scoring against Sevilla at Anfield in their final pre-season game last weekend, will get the nod ahead of Darwin Nunez as the out and out striker.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
IPSWICH VS LIVERPOOL PREDICTION
As mentioned, Ipswich were thrilling to watch last season and that will mean they will be bl to take games to pretty much every opposition in the Premier League but the downside will be that, at a higher level, the gaps they leave will surely be exploited by high class players. Liverpool are the favourites for what has the potential to be a really entertaining and high-scoring game at Portman Road.
IPSWICH VS LIVERPOOL TIP: LIVERPOOL TO WIN & OVER 2.5 GOALS
