Isak strikes twice in nine minutes as Liverpool finally win under Iraola
Two early Alexander Isak goals at Portman Road gave Andoni Iraola his first victory as Liverpool manager and left promoted Ipswich chasing shadows.
For two matchweeks the question hung over Anfield: when would the Andoni Iraola era produce a win? The answer arrived inside nine minutes at Portman Road on Friday, where Alexander Isak struck in the 6th and 9th minutes to beat Ipswich Town 2-0 and get Liverpool's season moving.
A blitz start
Liverpool pressed high from kickoff and the game was effectively settled before it had taken shape. Both Isak goals were set up by Cody Gakpo, according to VAVEL's match coverage, the pair connecting twice in quick succession as the visitors' quick transitions overwhelmed the newly promoted hosts. Ipswich grew into the game and pushed harder after the break, but never seriously threatened to claw back the two-goal deficit.
Relief for Iraola
The win matters more for its timing than its style. Iraola had opened his Liverpool tenure with back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, per VAVEL — respectable results that nonetheless left the Reds 13th with two points and the noise building. Friday's victory moves Liverpool to five points from three games and, just as importantly, gives a new manager his first tangible proof of concept: an away win built on the front-foot pressing he was hired to install.
Ipswich's reality check
For Gary O'Neil's Ipswich, this was a harsher lesson than the scoreline suggests. The promoted side had opened with a 2-1 win over Sunderland before a 5-2 defeat at Manchester United, and sit on three points after three games. Conceding twice inside ten minutes at home is the kind of start that decides matches at this level before they begin — and the fixture list does not get kinder from here.