| Odds via 22bet | |
| Ipswich Town vs Liverpool | August 17, 12:30 GMT+1 |
| Ipswich Town odds | 8.2 |
| Liverpool odds | 5.65 |
| Draw | 1.32 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.38/2.81 |
After being relegated from the Premier League in 2002, Ipswich Town spent 17 years in the middle of the English Championship table until they were relegated to English football’s third division, League 1, in 2019.
It seemed like Ipswich would be stuck at this level for a long time, especially after finishing in the middle of the League 1 table two years in a row.
However, in December 2021, Kieran McKenna took charge of the Blues and was able to immediately improve the defense. However, he failed to take the team to the League 1 playoffs in his first year.
The 2022-23 season became a great triumph for Ipswich, as the team scored 101 goals and conceded just 35. Although they lost on points to Plymouth Argyle, they went into the Championship in second place.
It looked as though Ipswich would struggle to maintain their place in the English second division. But unlike Plymouth Argyle, who ended up 21st in the table, McKenna’s side were in the top five from the very first rounds and were fighting for direct promotion to the Premier League until the end of the season.
Surprisingly, after 18 years in the Championship and three years in League 1, Ipswich returned to the top division of English football. Almost all English pundits attribute this success to the amazing work of McKenna, who became EFL Championship Manager of the Season for 2023-24.
Ipswich won three of their four friendlies before the start of the upcoming season and are optimistic before the match against Liverpool. The wins came over Shakhtar (1-0), Hoffenheim (1-0), and Nice (1-0).
It is important to note that last season, the Blues scored the most goals in the Championship thanks to their ability to launch quick attacks with combinations in the center of the pitch and create isolation on the left flank for left full-back Leif Davis.
He plays a key role in the team, creating a variety of passes into the opponent’s penalty area and sometimes shooting on goal. Last season, the 24-year-old Davis notched 18 assists and scored two goals.
However, while Ipswich excelled in attack, their defense left much to be desired. Conceding 57 goals might be enough in the Championship (7th best) might be enough to secure promotion, but such defensive vulnerabilities could spell trouble in the Premier League, where the competition is fiercer and mistakes are less forgiving.
We can all remember last season when Luton conceded 85 goals while Sheffield United even conceded a staggering 104 goals.
McKenna surely understands that his team must play more defensively in the Premier League, or it will fail completely. It will be very interesting to see how the Premier League newcomer will try to stop last season’s strongest attack (by xG) in the match against Liverpool.
It is also worth adding that two of Ipswich’s key attacking players, Nathan Broadhead and Cameron Humphreys, will not be able to help the team due to the injuries they suffered in the pre-season matches. Last season they contributed 31 goals, so Ipswich’s attack will be weakened in the first few rounds.
| Recent Form | WWLW |
| Key Players to Watch | Leif Davis, Conor Chaplin |
| Team Strengths | Fast attacks |
| Team Weaknesses | Weak defence |
| Key Injuries and suspensions | Harry Clarke (Calf/Shin/Heel Injury), George Hirst (Knee Injury), Nathan Broadhead (Thigh Injury), Cameron Humphreys |
Liverpool have shown in pre-season matches that despite Jurgen Klopp’s departure, the team is ready to compete for a top-3 spot in the English Premier League this season.
Under Arne Slot’s management, the team has been successful in pressing and counter-pressing in friendly matches against Arsenal, Manchester United, and Sevilla, creating excellent goal-scoring opportunities through swift transitions from defense to attack.
The Reds have also focused on overloading the half-spaces in positional attacks, attempting to create quick combinations with varying degrees of success.
Liverpool’s most effective tactic has been launching fast attacks through long passes to the front three, with Mohamed Salah standing out for his exceptional dribbling and dangerous moments.
However, the absence of a top defensive midfielder has occasionally caused issues on the right flank of the defense, which has been the team’s most vulnerable area for the past 3-4 years. In their recent friendly against Sevilla, this vulnerability was evident when Ryan Gravenberch, playing as a holding midfielder, was not actively covering for Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right flank.
Liverpool fans had hoped for the acquisition of Martín Zubimendi, but unfortunately, the transfer did not happen as the player refused the move.
Nevertheless, Liverpool will be the favorites in the match against Ipswich. With their powerful pressing and lightning-fast attacks, the visitors will likely exploit the newcomer’s defensive weaknesses in the Premier League.
| Recent Form | DWWWW |
| Key Players to Watch | Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Diogo Jota |
| Team Strengths | Pressing and quick attacks |
| Team Weaknesses | The right side of the defence |
| Key injuries and suspensions | Curtis Jones (doubtful), Dominik Szoboszlai (doubtful) |
In Premier League history, Liverpool had the advantage in the head-to-head clashes in the 90s, as the “Reds” won five matches, while Ipswich secured victory twice.
Their last two meetings in the Premier League took place in the 2001-02 season and ended with a total score of 11-0.
Key attacking players for the home team are left fullback Leif Davis and attacking midfielder Conor Chaplin.
Davis plays a crucial role in creating opportunities from the left flank, delivering accurate crosses and contributing to the team’s attacking dynamics. Chaplin, on the other hand, plays the role of the team’s main playmaker, operating as a number 10 and wearing that number on his back.
Last season, Conor scored 13 goals and provided eight assists, and in the 2022-23 season in the English League 1, he scored 26 goals and provided 5 assists.
Mohamed Salah continues to be the main star of the Liverpool team, and judging by their preseason matches, Arne Slot is very focused on finishing attacks through Salah.
Kieran McKenna will most likely choose to play with a 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 formation to cover all areas near their own penalty area and limit Liverpool’s space for quick attacks.
Last season, Ipswich often applied high pressing against direct rivals, but in the match against Liverpool, this could lead to a heavy defeat. Furthermore, McKenna’s team often lacked compactness, which their opponents regularly exploited.
Liverpool will likely play in a 4-3-3 formation and aim to exploit the opponent’s defensive problems by using quick combinations between the lines.
Ipswich did not buy any players of at least a medium level with Premier League experience during the summer transfer window, making it very difficult for McKenna’s team to compete against Liverpool’s high-caliber players.
Therefore, a victory for Liverpool seems like a very logical choice to me.
In three out of five preseason matches, Liverpool fielded their main lineup and scored at least two goals in each game.
Considering the defensive issues faced by Ipswich, it’s reasonable to assume that the visitors will score more than one goal in this match.
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