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Liverpool beats Ipswich Town 4-1 in the 23rd round of the Premier League, strengthening their position at the top of the table. Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah, and Cody Gakpo secured the win. With this victory, Liverpool now has 53 points, extending their lead over second-placed Arsenal to 6 points.
Liverpool Beats Ipswich Town 4-1: Reds Maintain Their Dominance
Liverpool claimed a dominant 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town in the Premier League, continuing their impressive form this season. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring in the 11th minute, followed by Mohamed Salah’s goal in the 35th. Cody Gakpo then added two goals, one in the 44th and another in the 66th minute, to seal the win. Ipswich Town managed to score a late goal, with Jacob Greaves finding the net in the 90th minute. Despite the late goal, Liverpool’s strong performance secured all three points.
Early Pressure and Quick Goals
Liverpool came out strong, quickly taking control of the game. Ibrahima Konate launched a long pass to Szoboszlai, who fired a low shot from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. Just 24 minutes later, Salah doubled the lead, receiving a cross from Gakpo and finishing with a superb shot from a narrow-angle.
Gakpo Shines with Two Goals
Before the break, Liverpool’s dominance continued. In the 44th minute, Salah’s through ball found Szoboszlai, whose shot was blocked by the goalkeeper. The ball fell to Gakpo, who quickly tapped it into the net to make it 3-0. Gakpo’s second goal came in the 66th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a perfect cross, and Gakpo headed the ball past Ipswich’s goalkeeper to make it 4-0.
Late Consolation for Ipswich
Ipswich Town’s only moment of success came in the final minute. Jacob Greaves scored with a header from a corner, reducing Liverpool’s lead to 4-1. However, the goal came too late to change the outcome, and Liverpool claimed all three points to stay at the top of the table.
Liverpool beats Ipswich Town 4-1, maintaining their strong position in the Premier League. With goals from Szoboszlai, Salah, and Gakpo, the Reds continue to dominate, keeping their 6-point lead intact.
Premiere league report:
Report
It was a dominant first-half showing from the hosts as goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Gakpo had them three ahead at the interval.
After what had been a one-sided opening 45 minutes, the match became more even as it progressed, but any doubt over the outcome was ended midway through the second half when Gakpo headed in his second from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross.
Jacob Greaves struck with an aerial effort of his own in the last minute to give Ipswich a consolation, but it was otherwise a comfortable afternoon for Liverpool.
Liverpool’s title rivals Arsenal were pushed to the limit as they won 1-0 despite being reduced to 10 men at Wolverhampton Wanderers, so the Reds’ lead at the top remains six points with a game in hand on the Gunners.
Ipswich stay 18th in the table, behind Wolves on goal difference.
How the match unfolded
Despite some early positivity from Ipswich, Liverpool quickly took control as their attacking power ruthlessly punctured the visitors three times before half-time.
Szoboszlai got the ball rolling for Arne Slot’s side as he arrowed past Christian Walton from the edge of the box in the 11th minute, before Salah reached 19 league goals for the campaign when he smartly crashed Gakpo’s 35th-minute cross into the roof of the net.
Gakpo then got in on the act himself after 44 minutes, prodding in from close range after Walton had denied Szoboszlai.
The intensity inevitably dropped in the second half, as Ipswich battled for pride, but Liverpool’s control of possession kept the visitors at arm’s length.
Ipswich began to tire as the match progressed, and Gakpo’s second goal of the match arrived via an inch-perfect ball from Alexander-Arnold on 66 minutes, adding extra gloss to the scoreline.
There was time for Kieran McKenna’s men to give the travelling fans something to cheer about, as Greaves salvaged some positivity after being set up by debutant Julio Enciso.
Szoboszlai adds new dimension to Liverpool’s attack
Liverpool are not short on goal threats in this campaign, with Salah already beating his league tally from last season while Gakpo and Luis Diaz are firmly on course to better their own league totals from 2023/24.
However, the one area Liverpool have lacked goals from has been midfield, with Slot opting for greater control over dynamism from deeper areas.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have excelled as a deep double act in Slot’s debut campaign, but the former is yet to score a league goal, and the latter has only managed one.
Szoboszlai’s breakthrough strike against Ipswich took him up to three league goals for the season and, when playing, he is the midfielder afforded more licence to charge forward.
Slot will not drastically change the direction of his midfield, but the addition of goals via late runs into the box will cause more headaches for opposition defences, as Szoboszlai looks to edge ahead of Curtis Jones as a consistent starter.
Liverpool have a stacked fixture schedule coming up, including a hugely testing league trip to AFC Bournemouth next weekend, the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur on 6 February and the rearranged Merseyside derby on 12 February.
After such an impressive display here, Szoboszlai will hope for more chances in those huge matches, while Gakpo has now netted in five straight home league matches, becoming only the third Dutch player to achieve that feat in the Premier League after Ruud van Nistelrooy (August 2003) and Robin van Persie (twice in March 2012 and January 2013).
Delap dependence deepens Ipswich’s struggles
Ipswich have earned two of their three league wins this season on the road against Spurs and Wolves, but another away success never looked likely here.
In stark contrast to Liverpool’s ability to spread goals around their team, Ipswich’s chances of remaining in the Premier League next season rest heavily on Liam Delap’s shoulders.
The Englishman has led the line superbly for Ipswich so far this season, with eight league goals scored as the powerful focal point of McKenna’s attack.
However, he is now on a run of just two goals scored in his last 11 appearances, and he clearly needs more support from those around him, having failed to record a shot in this game and with Ipswich having taken just one point from four matches since beating Chelsea at Portman Road in their last match of 2024.
Defeat at Anfield will not define Ipswich’s chances of top-flight safety, but McKenna is in clear need of a Plan B for the remainder of the campaign.
Sam Szmodics’ injury has disrupted his attacking options, but finding some alternative ways to threaten will be vital in the coming weeks ahead of a huge home encounter with bottom-of-the-table Southampton next Saturday.