Ipswich vs Liverpool LIVE: Team news and line-ups ahead as Ryan Gravenberch starts in Arne Slot’s first match

Liverpool manager Arne Slot told TNT Sports before the match:

“Of course I’m looking forward to it, but it’s all about getting results. The job is the same, whether you work in Holland or here, you want to prepare in the best possible way.

“Jurgen left the team in a very good way, full of energy and they always want to work hard. I think the results were a little better with the way we played, there were some wins where the game wasn’t that good. I’m very positive about the way we have worked so far. It’s good to see that the boys who came in two weeks ago have come back really strong.”

When asked about team selection he said: “(Ryan) Gravenberch starts at 6 because he has the qualities to play there, he will develop into 6. Him playing today will help Macca (Mac Allister) play more up front.”

Taking a look at the fans expected to turn up at Portman Road, this will also be Arne Slot’s first competitive game in charge of Liverpool and here are the expected visitors:

Fans have already started arriving in Ipswich ahead of their return to the top flight:

Here’s Richard Jolly’s report from the opening game of the 2024/25 season…

United manager He has been accused of signing too high contracts with his fellow Dutch players. Even after being bought for £42 million, it was a perfect start, a true theatre of a dream debut. Zirkzee didn’t do very well even when he helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League last season. Still, it took him just 26 minutes to open his account for United, showing he can be more than just a finisher, but a penalty-box goal-getter.

Zirkzee dropped deep to collect the ball and passed it to Casemiro, who darted into the box. He extended his left foot to catch Alejandro Garnacho’s cross. The two substitutes combined to secure an opening-day win that put United top of the league for the first time under Ten Hag’s reign, albeit with 18 other teams still playing.

Something that could potentially have a huge impact on the outcome of Liverpool’s season…

There are only a few people who know exactly what is happening in the country. Manchester City case and one of them was to promote the new Premier League season this week.

“It is clear We have some regulatory challenges,Competition Chief Executive richard masters “But I’m confident we will get through all of this and when we sit down again in 12 months, a lot of things will become clearer and we will be able to get back to doing what we always wanted to do, which is put football front and centre,” he said.

It’s a very promising turn that’s probably only natural for the world’s most explosive league, especially since this season An unprecedented storm could ensue. This could be the most controversial and consequential campaign in the history of the English game, rivalling both Bosman and Italy’s Calciopoli in terms of its impact. It could change the standings, the future, the past as well as the image of the Premier League. The outcome of the City case is expected in April, but coming so late would be even worse for the Premier League.

There were some new faces on Portman Road today…and some very familiar ones!

Teams are ready for an early kick-off – this season we get them 75 minutes before the match starts, remember, not an hour!

Ipswich are without new goalkeeper Muric, who has a calf problem, but have newcomers Hutchinson and Delap.

Liverpool have named Jarrell Quansah in defence for Arne Slot’s first match in charge, while Ryan Gravenberch could be placed at the base of midfield after trials in preseason.

Imps: Walton, Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davies, Morsy, Luongo, Burns, Chaplin, Hutchinson, Delap

LIV: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Kwansa, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota, Diaz

Today’s match will be the 73rd meeting between these two teams, the first having taken place in 1954.

Liverpool have won 37 matches, Ipswich have won 14 and 21 matches have been drawn.

The two teams last met in 2002, with Liverpool winning 5-0 and 6-0 in the Premier League, while the Reds won on penalties in the League Cup in December, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Ipswich’s last win was in December 2000, when the Tractor Boys won 1-0 at Anfield. They haven’t beaten Liverpool at home since February 1986, when they won 2-1.

This is Ipswich’s first game in the Premier League for 22 years. Their last match was on the final day of the 2001/02 season, when a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool confirmed their relegation – their last player to score a top-flight goal was Darren Bent in April 2002.

The Blues have scored 92 league goals in each of the last two seasons, a tally bettered only by Manchester City and Stockport County (96) in the top four divisions.

Ipswich have not lost their first league match in any of the last 10 seasons (won 6, drew 4), and are unbeaten in 21 home league games. Their only defeat at Portman Road in the last 39 was a 4-3 loss to Leeds a year ago.

This will be the fifth time in the last six years that Liverpool have started the season against a newly promoted team. The last time they lost the season opener was in 2012, when they lost 3-0 to West Brom.

The Reds have gained 28 points since losing out last season. Salah has scored a joint-record eight goals in Premier League debuts, with last season being the only time he failed to score on his debut.

So will his signing be enough to keep Ipswich in the top tier?

Existence in the Premier League The game is becoming more difficult for clubs recently promoted from the Championship.

Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton all went straight into the second tier last season, and many expect the new arrivals of 2024/25 to suffer a similar fate Leicester CityIpswich and southampton ,

However, which team is best placed to avoid the drop? We’ve assessed each of the Premier League’s new arrivals and their chances of staying in the top-tier.