Arne Slot’s tenure as Liverpool manager began on a positive note as his side secured a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road, offering the Tractor Boys a harsh reintroduction to the Premier League after a 22-year absence from the top flight.A fresh season always brings new dreams, and Ipswich Town are certainly hoping to defy the odds and remain amongst England’s elite. While they haven’t made major waves in the transfer market, they have still added to their squad – a contrast to their opening-day opponents, who were notably quiet on that front. With no new signings to introduce, the spotlight fell squarely on Slot, who has the tough task of filling the shoes of beloved former manager Jürgen Klopp.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Slot’s philosophy brings a different flavour to Liverpool’s approach, but his side initially struggled to stamp their authority on the match. Their best first-half moment came right before the break when Trent Alexander-Arnold sent a shot over the bar from outside the box. Meanwhile, Ipswich had their own opportunities, forcing two routine saves from Alisson Becker courtesy of Jacob Greaves and Omari Hutchinson. Despite being on the back foot, Ipswich’s first-half effort would have given manager Kieran McKenna and the home supporters, including famous sponsor Ed Sheeran, reason for optimism.Now that’s a debut! Fulham’s heartbreak has a name – it’s ZirkzeeHowever, Ipswich seemed to lose momentum after Sheeran’s halftime departure for a concert in Belgrade, Serbia. Liverpool upped the tempo, with Luis Díaz twice threatening the goal, although Christian Walton remained untroubled. Diogo Jota then squandered a golden chance, heading wide from six yards out despite being unmarked. But the Portuguese forward quickly made amends, calmly slotting Mohamed Salah’s low cross into the top corner from close range.Salah soon added his name to the scoresheet, seizing on a loose ball in the box and poking it past Walton to double Liverpool’s lead. In doing so, the Egyptian secured a new Premier League record, notching more opening-day goals (nine) than any other player in the competition’s history. Ipswich, who had been very much in the contest just minutes earlier, were left to realize the unforgiving nature of the Premier League, where any drop in intensity can quickly be punished.Although Liverpool had chances to add to their tally, the two goals proved sufficient to ensure all three points. The victory extends Slot’s unbeaten streak for Liverpool on opening days to 13 matches, and while tougher challenges await in their pursuit of the title, the new boss and his players can take heart from a strong second-half display. On the other side, Kieran McKenna will know that survival in the top flight won’t be determined by matches against the league’s powerhouses – but the challenges keep coming, as next up for Ipswich is a daunting trip to face Manchester City.ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 1FridayMan.Utd. – Fulham 1-0 (0-0)/Zirkzee 87/SaturdayIpswich – Liverpool 0-2 (0-0)/Jota 60, Salah 65/17:00: (1.22) Arsenal (7.25) Wolverhampton (15.0)17:00: (2.70) Everton (3.15) Brighton (2.75)17:00: (1.40) Newcastle (4.80) Southampton (7.75)17:00: (2.45) Nott.Forest (3.40) Bournemouth (2.85)19:30: (2.50) West Ham (3.45) Aston Villa (2.75)Sunday16:00: (2.55) Brentford (3.35) Crystal Palace (2.75)18:30: (4.20) Chelsea (3.80) Man.City (1.90)Monday22:00: (5.20) Leicester (4.00) Tottenham (1.65)***odds are subject to change***
