Isak Inspired, But Which Other Reds Stood Out at Portman Road?

Liverpool finally have a Premier League win on the board, and it came at Portman Road against a stubborn Ipswich Town side who made life far harder than the final score suggests. Two moments of individual brilliance settled it rather than a dominant team performance, which tells its own story about where this Liverpool side currently stands.

Our Player Ratings

Alisson Becker: 8/10. Composed under pressure from Ipswich’s direct approach and produced the handling needed to protect the clean sheet.

Ronald Araujo: 7/10. Steady on the right side of defence, growing into the game after a nervy opening spell.

Jeremy Jacquet: 7/10. Well positioned throughout and dealt calmly with Ipswich’s runners in behind.

Virgil van Dijk: 8/10. Vocal, assertive and increasingly aggressive as the game wore on, exactly what the captain’s armband demands.

Milos Kerkez: 7/10. Provided a reliable outlet going forward while showing more defensive discipline than usual.

Alexis Mac Allister: 8/10. Controlled the tempo from deep and covered every blade of grass before being withdrawn late on.

Dominik Szoboszlai: 7/10. Tested the goalkeeper with three powerful strikes and adapted well after being shifted wide.

Florian Wirtz: 6/10. Relatively quiet by his standards, unlucky to have an assist ruled out but short of his usual influence.

Victor Munoz: 7/10. Lively and direct with his carrying, though his end product needed sharpening before he was replaced.

Cody Gakpo: 8/10. Excellent in the early stages, setting up both of Isak’s goals in quick succession.

Alexander Isak: 9/10. Two goals of the highest quality inside the opening ten minutes made him the difference between the sides and a deserved Man of the Match.

Ryan Gravenberch (on 63 minutes): 6/10. Added energy in midfield after coming on.

Bradley Barcola (on 63 minutes): 6/10. Brought fresh pace to the closing stages.

Trey Nyoni (on 83 minutes): 6/10. Offered extra defensive cover late on.

Lewis Koumas (on 89 minutes): 6/10. Showed willing in a brief cameo.

Andoni Iraola: 8/10. Set his team up as expected, with Jeremie Frimpong left out of the starting lineup, and made sensible changes to see the game out.

Our Take

This was not a vintage away performance, but Isak’s quality papered over the cracks in a way Liverpool have not always been able to rely on this season. Van Dijk’s leadership and Mac Allister’s control were the platform, Gakpo’s early service was crucial, and the back four did enough when it mattered. Ipswich pushed hard and will feel they deserved something from the game, which should be a reminder that this Liverpool side is still finding its rhythm under Andoni Iraola rather than a finished product. Three points is three points though, and after two draws to open the campaign, this was a result Liverpool badly needed.