Arne Slot was happy to make light of predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s bugbear after he made a triumphant start to life as Liverpool boss with a 2-0 victory at Ipswich.
One of Klopp’s big irritations was a Saturday 12.30pm kick-off, and it appeared for long periods at Portman Road that Slot may share the same gripe after Ipswich edged a tight first half in which the visitors failed to register a shot on target.
Liverpool, who finished third in Klopp’s final season, went up a level after the break with Diogo Jota able to force the opener on the hour mark after an assist by Mohamed Salah.
Salah went from provider to finisher five minutes later with a smart effort, and in doing so became the outright top scorer in Premier League opening weekend matches with nine goals, to earn three points on Slot’s debut.
“When I started here there were many things that have been told to me and one of them was Jurgen hated the 12.30pm kick-off,” Slot said.
“Today the team showed we hate the 12.30pm kick-off because we were not in the game in the first half.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2024
“We as a team made a big change at half-time because we came out totally different that we came out for the first half, but I have to give credit to Ipswich.
“Second half we won more duels, we won more second balls and we played more balls in behind.
“Because if the other team takes the risk of playing one-v-one and you have the likes of Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota, then use them. Play the balls in behind.
“That’s what we did better in the second half and from there on gaps opened up.”
Slot played down his half-time intervention, but Ibrahima Konate was introduced in place of Jarell Quansah and 15 minutes later Jota broke the deadlock.
Trent Alexander-Arnold played through Salah, who found Jota and this time he slotted past Christian Walton – 60 seconds after he headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Ipswich supporters responded with encouragement but five minutes later it was 2-0.
Virgil van Dijk picked out Salah with a superb crossfield ball and he exchanged passes with Dominik Szoboszlai before the Liverpool number 11 steered under Walton.
Leif spoke to TownTV after today''s opening game. 🎥⤵️#IPSLIV
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) August 17, 2024
Salah, along with Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk, are out of contract next summer, but Slot’s focus is on Brentford and an eagerness to avoid a repeat first-half display.
“If I see what Mo does to keep his body as it is and to be ready to play every game, I think there are many more years inside of him to play, but I am looking now at Brentford and not at the end of the season,” Slot said.
“We didn’t cope with that well enough (with Ipswich’s aggression) in my opinion.
“And that’s what I said to them at half-time: ‘If you want to win over here, you need to step up in terms of winning your duels first time and make a fight out of it’.
“It helped us that Ibou Konate came in because he from the start won his duels and that gave us also a lot of ball possession, which led to two goals. We could have scored a few more though.”
Kieran McKenna was proud of his players on the club’s top-flight return after 22 years away.
Seven of the starting line-up were also starters when Ipswich sealed promotion from Sky Bet League One in 2023.
“I think it was a really positive first-half performance and we showed all the ingredients that we’re going to need to have a good season,” McKenna said.
“Of course the challenge for us then is we have to be able to do it for longer.
“But I think the players should be really proud of their efforts and the way they managed to step up.”
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
