Alexander Isak's Brace Leads Liverpool to First League Win
IPSWICH, England — Andoni Iraola did not have to wait long for his Liverpool side to announce themselves.
After back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Liverpool arrived at Portman Road needing clarity, control, and a cutting edge. They got all three inside nine ruthless minutes.
Alexander Isak supplied the finish. Cody Gakpo supplied the craft.
Six minutes in, Gakpo slipped a pass into the right side of the area for Isak. The Sweden international drove onto it, lashed a fierce effort at Kjell Scherpen, and watched the ball cannon off the goalkeeper and into the net. Relief for Liverpool. A release for Iraola.
Ipswich barely had time to reset.
Three minutes later, Gakpo went long and audacious. From deep, he shaped his body and used the outside of his boot to curl a perfectly weighted ball over the top and behind the home defence. Isak surged clear, checked his stride, shifted feet, and drilled his finish home. Clinical. 2-0. The contest, in truth, already felt decided.
Liverpool, who had stuttered through their opening fixtures under their new coach, finally looked aligned with Iraola’s aggressive intent. The early goals gave them license to manage the tempo, pick their moments, and keep Ipswich chasing shadows for long stretches.
For the hosts, back in the Premier League after promotion last season, this was a sharp reminder of the level. They battled, they stayed in it, but the damage was done before the game had properly settled. Three matches into their return to the top flight, Ipswich now sit on one win and two defeats.
The night also belonged, in part, to a new face in red.
On Monday, Liverpool completed a blockbuster move for Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, a deal worth 123 million pounds ($166 million). Four days later, the 21-year-old pulled on a Liverpool shirt in competition for the first time, stepping off the bench in the 63rd minute. The game state suited him: Liverpool in control, space to attack, the away end in full voice as they welcomed another marquee signing.
Barcola’s debut did not need fireworks. The statement was in his presence, and in a scoreline that allowed Iraola to ease him into English football rather than throw him into chaos.
By the final whistle, Liverpool had what they came for: a first Premier League win under Iraola, a brace for their centre-forward, two assists for Gakpo, minutes in the bank for Barcola, and a performance that finally matched the ambition of a turbulent summer.
If this is the night Liverpool’s new era truly clicked into gear, how quickly can they turn it into a title challenge?
