.png)
1 day ago
5
There are days when the relentless pursuit of a Premier League title resembles a stroll. This was one of those occasions for Liverpool, who condemned Ipswich to a second successive comprehensive defeat. The only consolation for Kieran McKenna and his weary players was it could have been much worse.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and two from Cody Gakpo delivered a 16th win in 22 league games for Arne Slot’s league leaders. It looked too easy at times as Liverpool maintained their title challenge while rarely meeting one from Ipswich.
McKenna abandoned the five-man defence that shipped six goals at home to Manchester City and reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, but the end result was just the same. Liverpool were three goals up and coasting by half-time, as City had been last Sunday, and Ipswich again made life comfortable for heavyweight opposition. The gulf between the Champions League elite and newly-promoted sides may well be insurmountable but Ipswich’s passive approach and fragile resistance meant this was never a contest. Liverpool frequently tried out passing drills straight from the training ground without encountering so much as a challenge. It took an hour for the visitors to muster an attempt on Alisson’s goal.
The last thing Ipswich needed following their heaviest defeat of the season was to fall behind early at Anfield. Another long old afternoon was under way after 11 minutes. Andy Robertson dispossessed Omari Hutchinson with a strong challenge on the left, Liverpool worked the ball over to Ibrahima Konaté on the right and the central defender threaded a fine pass into Szoboszlai’s run behind Kalvin Phillips. The Liverpool midfielder had time to switch the ball on to his left foot and drill a low finish inside Christian Walton’s left hand post from 18 yards. Liverpool exploited that pocket of space behind Ipswich’s central midfielders all afternoon.
McKenna’s team suffered another blow when Wes Burns was stretchered off with what appeared a serious knee injury. The winger’s right knee buckled when he tripped Gakpo and he required six minutes of treatment before being carried off with his leg strapped up. There was no respite for the struggling visitors.
Salah struck his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool at Anfield on his 400th appearance in English football. The phenomenon had just had a shot saved at the back post by Walton when Gakpo’s floated cross over Szoboszlai, Jacob Greaves and Leif Davis gave him another try. This time Salah went high, and lashed an unstoppable finish into the roof of Walton’s net.
It was three shortly before the break. Ipswich were again guilty of standing off and admiring Liverpool’s polished approach play. Ryan Gravenberch met zero resistance when he strolled forward from midfield and swept a cross behind Greaves to Szoboszlai. Walton saved superbly from the Hungary captain’s first-time shot but, with four blue shirts around him, Gakpo was perfectly placed to convert the follow-up.
after newsletter promotion
Luis Díaz just failed to connect with a glorious cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai curled wide of the top corner in first half stoppage time. McKenna introduced Conor Townsend for Davis at the interval, the left-back having been run ragged by Salah and company, and there was an improvement in the Ipswich performance. Hutchinson drew the first save from Alisson with a shot from 20 yards and the Brazil international tipped away a late header by substitute George Hirst from Townsend’s centre. Liverpool’s clean sheet was ruined when Greaves stooped to head home Julio Enciso’s corner in the 90th minute. The away fans embraced the positive, celebrating wildly. Enciso, recently arrived on loan from Brighton, was fortunate to escape with a yellow card for a high foul on fellow substitute Wataru Endo moments earlier.
Not that Liverpool’s victory was anything other than a procession. Gakpo had already headed home his second, Liverpool’s fourth, from Alexander-Arnold’s pin-point delivery. The right-back appeared to have a few words for those in the Main Stand after his latest assist. Alexander-Arnold also struck a post and went close from 25 yards as Slot’s side maintained their title charge with ease.
