Ipswich Town FC vs Liverpool FC, Olympics Football 2024, Today Match Prediction

Ipswich Town FC vs Liverpool FC Match Prediction & Analysis

The Premier League is set to witness the long-awaited return of Ipswich Town. In a highly anticipated clash, the Tractor Boys will host Liverpool in the second match of the season, marking their comeback to the top flight after a 22-year absence.

Guided by Kieran McKenna, Ipswich secured promotion by finishing second in the EFL Championship, just one point behind Leicester City. Meanwhile, Liverpool, despite a thrilling title race with Manchester City and Arsenal, ultimately settled for third place.

The contest promises to be a battle of the managers as much as the teams. McKenna has masterminded Ipswich's rise from League One to the Premier League in just two and a half years. He faces a daunting task against Arne Slot, who is poised to begin a new era at Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp's nine-year reign.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Ipswich Town FC Preview

A few months ago, Kieran McKenna was the hottest managerial property in England, with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brighton all expressing interest. Yet, the 38-year-old opted to remain at Ipswich, becoming one of the highest-paid managers in the country. Safe to say, he's been Ipswich Town's biggest signing of the summer.

McKenna's philosophy is simple: outscore the opposition. This was evident at home in the EFL Championship last season, where Ipswich netted the most goals but also conceded the most among the top three. However, their approach changed on the road, resulting in the third-fewest goals conceded and the most clean sheets in the division. Whether McKenna sticks to his attacking instincts or adopts a more cautious approach against Liverpool will be fascinating to watch.

If the manager opts for an attacking mindset, Leif Davis and Omari Hutchinson will be pivotal. Although nominally a left-back, Davis is Ipswich's creative hub, contributing 18 assists, excelling from set pieces, and delivering quality crosses. Hutchinson, a £20 million club-record signing from Chelsea, has already shown his goal-scoring prowess with ten goals and five assists.

Joining Hutchinson in Ipswich's summer recruitment drive were defender Jacob Greaves (Hull), attacker Liam Delap (Manchester City), former West Ham right-back Ben Johnson, and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. Expect McKenna to deploy either a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3 formation.

Ipswich Town FC Starting Lineup -  Muric (Goalkeeper); Johnson, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis (Defenders); Morsy, Luongo; Hutchinson, Chaplin (Midfielders); Harness, Delap (Forwards) 

Liverpool FC Preview

Arne Slot, the former Feyenoord manager, faces a difficult task in meeting Jurgen Klopp's high standards. One Premier League championship, one Champions League trophy, an FA Cup, two EFL Cups, the Community Shield, a UEFA Super Cup, and a FIFA Club World Cup. 

During the title-winning season of 2019–20, Klopp's Liverpool club became the fastest to reach 30 wins and came within one of reaching the 100-point threshold. Not to mention, the Reds have finished in the top three in four of the last five Premier League seasons. Arne Slot will face a difficult task in meeting, let alone exceeding, these requirements. 

However, what Slot has is a style similar to that of Klopp’s. His playing style of high-pressing combined with an aggressive back four at Feyenoord is one of the reasons why Slot was referred for the job. That said, there's a little bit of a difference in the method. 

Klopp's method is more direct when the team has the ball, aided by the rush to get the ball back when out of possession. On the other hand, Slot's believes in having all the possession and breaking down the teams before delivering the all-important blow. 

Mohammad Salah remains Liverpool's most valuable asset, and he is expected to lead the Reds in the new era, just as he did under Klopp. In the meantime, it will be interesting to observe how Arne Slot utilises Trent Alexander Arnold. Alexander-Arnold was frequently used as an inverted full back during Klopp's reign; however, if reports of Liverpool signing someone like Martin Zubimendi are correct, it's clear that Arne wants to use his right-back to provide width to the flanks and create overlapping runs with his wingers. 

If the pre-season friendlies are any indication, Arne Slot prefers a 4-3-3 formation, though he preferred a 4-2-3-1 during his stints at Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar. 

LIverpool  Starting Lineup - Alisson (Goalkeeper); Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson( Defenders); Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister(Midfielders); Salah, Jota, Gakpo (Forwards) 

IPSWICH TOWN FC vs LIVERPOOL FC
Winning Prediction

Ipswich is an unknown team for Liverpool. With Kieran McKenna’s astute tactics, Ipswich could spring a surprise or two. Nevertheless, Arne Slot’s Liverpool are the overwhelming favorites heading into the game. Prior to their first match, the Reds were undefeated in pre-season friendlies, defeating Arsenal, Manchester United, Sevilla, and Real Betis. Given their strong away record last season 9 wins, 7 draws, and 3 losses and recent impressive results, Liverpool are likely to leave Ipswich with points. 

Liverpool FC to Win (3-1)

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