Mohamed Salah’s record ninth opening-day goal ensures winning start for Arne Slot’s Liverpool era

Chosen by us to get you up to speed at a glance
Seven years now since Mohamed Salah arrived at Liverpool, a relatively low-profile acquisition in an expensive summer of striker signings among the Premier League elite. And seven years on, one of the game’s greatest players looks just as sharp.
The strength of Salah is that he makes it look so easy, week after week and season after season. His goal at Portman Road means that no player in Premier League history can beat his nine goals in the opening round of matches. Last season was his lowest goal return in the league and his fewest number of appearances, and he still scored 18 in 32 games. His assist against Ipswich means he now has 300 career goal involvements in 350 Liverpool appearances but really, the numbers never quite do justice to the scale of the talent.
In the first half, the young English full-back Leif Davis had a decent game against Salah and then in the second half Davis did not. Hard to believe that, still just 32, Salah might leave as a free agent at the end of the season for the Saudi Pro League. It feels like there is still so much left for him to do.
Arne Slot will know that Liverpool post-Salah will be a very different proposition. Ahead of even the contractual situations of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah’s future remains the key issue at the club. “I see what he [Salah] does to keep his body as it is and be ready to play every game,” Liverpool’s new manager said later. “I think there are many more years inside of him to play. If you are okay with it, I am looking now at Brentford [a week on Sunday] and not the end of the season.”
Come short and spin off. Run the channel between full-back and centre-half. They are just as fundamental to the Salah playbook as the left foot hit from the right that is tucked inside the far post. His was the assist for Diogo Jota for a brilliant first on 59 minutes, a goal worked through the midfield by Ryan Gravenberch and Alexander-Arnold. Then it was Salah’s dart into space from Dominik Szoboszlai’s ball into the inside-right channel that gave him space to score.
With that it was over for Ipswich. Salah, his long curly hair gone and what looks very much like a summer hair transplant taking root, does not seem to be ageing in any discernible way. Davis had kept him at bay in the first half, but a decisive move by Slot at the break changed the way Liverpool played. Slot had noted that Ipswich had played one against one all over the pitch, which meant that Luke Woolfenden often stepped out of defence to pick up Szoboszlai.
At half-time he told his team to be more direct to exploit the danger of the front three and it worked. He was ruthless. Slot substituted the young centre-half Jarell Quansah and brought on Ibrahima Konate in his place to deal with the threat of the powerful Liam Delap.
“I said at half-time if you want to win here you need to step up in terms of winning your duels first and make a fight out of it,” Slot said. “Instead of accepting that every time we play it long it ends up in our [half] again. It helped us that Ibou Konate came in because from the start he won his duels.”
The new Liverpool manager also joked that he could see why his predecessor Jurgen Klopp did not like lunchtime kick-offs given his team’s weak first half. Yet he also gave Ipswich some of the credit for that outcome and, riding a wave of emotion after 22 years out of the Premier League, they certainly had some moments.
Kieran McKenna would later point out that 10 of his team had not started a Premier League game previously, the exception being Axel Tuanzebe. His goalkeeper Christian Walton last played a league fixture in League One, and was a late replacement for the injured Arijanet Muric. Ipswich have invested in some good players, including the impressive Jacob Greaves at centre-back, but the lack of Premier League experience might yet have to be addressed.
Kalvin Phillips was named on the bench and did not come on. The latest arrival, the Swedish midfielder Jens Cajuste, from Napoli, is now in Suffolk. One suspects an ambitious ownership may invest some more. On Saturday, Ipswich play Manchester City at the Etihad and McKenna said that the players had to accept there was a strong possibility there would be no points next weekend either.
“We won’t spend too much time talking about the league table and points,” he said. “It will be about full commitment to each game and doing our best.” This was just Ipswich’s second league defeat in 40 league games.
There were three first-half Ipswich bookings from referee Tim Robinson, although Slot himself was impressed with the aggression of the home team and then his team’s response. “I don’t think it’s the first time in nine years Liverpool supporters have seen the team playing really well,” Slot said. “I inherited a really good team with a lot of great individuals but they have to understand what they did in the first half is not enough. If they bring the maximum capacity then they can play really well.”
When Liverpool got into their stride and scored their first goal, we can certainly manage that period of the game better. Our response last season was to come out swinging but we will have to find the balance of chasing the equalising goal but also making sure we’re not too open. Our players will learn from that, we’ll be stronger for it. 
I thought we showed plenty of good things that we will need to do well this season. I thought the first half was really, really good. First half we made it difficult for Liverpool. We pressed well, we were aggressive and found a lovely balance with the ball and were brave in our build-up, looking to hurt them in the top line with the physicality we have there.  That gives us something to build on. We’re not there yet but we know we are going to improve and that gives us something to build on in the next weeks and months. 
I didn’t see them fighting for it in the first half, we lost almost every long ball, every duel. In the second half they were ready, then gaps opened up and you could see we can play quite good football. In the first half our defenders lost too many duels and our attackers didn’t win enough.
We have many good players but if we can find another one then we will not hesitate to do that.
Mo can score his goals today because of good assists. Mo needs the team and we have not only Mo but great individuals to finish things off. 
Depends on which half. First taste of Premier League in the first half was as expected, on top of us, very aggressive. The second half was a joy to watch. The first thing I said was that we don’t have to talk about tactics if you lose so many duels. Not that Jarell lost every duel with their No9  many of us lost too many duels up front too,. We needed Ibrahim Konate to win all those balls up to their No9. It was a tactical change. At half-time we showed them that if a team plays one v one then don’t play it short and that I don’t think they can’t keep it up in the second half. 
Mo Salah now has 300 goal involvements in 350 games for Liverpool 🇪🇬👑 pic.twitter.com/H2C0YCmfrs
It’s really warm today. It’s tough. I’m always happy to make the difference for the team. I’m glad we won. First game of the season, the crowd is really up. We are experienced and we expected a tough game. The most important thing is that the team wins the game and I’m happy to provide a goal or an assist. New manager, new system, its quite different for us. We have to adapt and take it step by step because many players came late [to pre-season]. Yes, it’s quite different we had Jürgen for a long time but we don’t need to put pressure [on Slot by detailing what exactly the differences are]. We just need to play football and enjoy our game. Let’s see how the season ends…
Liverpool improved significantly in the second half and cantered to victory after Ipswich had shown their pluck and mettle in the first half. Salah, though, showed his class and it all gelled perfectly for Slot after half-time. Positives for Ipswich, too, but they have got to convert more of their chances or they will be toast. 
Corner from Ipswich on the left. Good retrieval work from Greaves to fashion a quarter chance for Szmodics but Alisson easily saves his left-foot shot. 
Ipswich’s match sponsor gives the award to Jacob Greaves on debut. 
To the loudest cheer of the day, Gakpo becomes Liverpool’s first yellow card.
Fine save from Walton when Salah hammers a left-foot volley aiming for the far post from the right and then Harness stops Bradley drifting in round the back, squeezing his angle too tight. 
Mac Allister blazes over from the ensuing corner, the ball flying off at 90 degrees from his foot. 
Yes, confirmed that it will be eight minutes which starts with another crucial intervention by Greaves at the near post to Stop Diaz turning in Gakpo’s left-wing cross. 
Mohamed Salah is awarded the man of the match perspex bauble by Jermaine Jenas
SOunds as if there will be eight minutes of stoppage time which neither side would want. 
All the changes have disrupted both sides’ rhythm. Al-Hamadi shoots from 22 yards when Szmodics plays him in from just inside the box. It’s deflected for what would have been a corner if Szmodics hadn’t been three yards offside. Weirdly this lino has called an exceptionally tight one very early and a blatant one very late this half
 
Gravenberch quietly having an excellent second half, too, picking the ball up off the centre-backs, spinning and passing forward.  
Chance for Al Hamadi when he is played in down the inside left and tries to finish hastily with his left foot as Alisson rushed out and scuffed it wide. 
John Wark was being interviewed on the pitch at half-time at Portman Road. Hard to think of a more appropriate guest for this fixture. Says Ipswich will always be his team, but also: “I played for the two best clubs in the world”. Presume Middlesbrough not part of that list, or indeed that excellent POW XI that got such a good result against the Nazis.
Robertson motors down the left and whips over a cross that Jota meets with his brow and flashes a header wide.
Gakpo ⇢ Diogo JotaTsimikas ⇢ Robertson. 
Bradley ⇢ Alexander-Arnold. 
The Liverpool right-back was the architect of their second-half revival. Liverpool are flooding forward at every opportunity at the moment. 
Some housekeeping – five Ipswich subs over the past 10 minutes:
Johnson ⇢ BurnsTaylor ⇢ LuongoHarness ⇢ ChaplinSzmodics ⇢ TuanzebeAl Hamadi ⇢ Delap.
This is the ninth season in a row that Salah has started with a goal in the first match for Liverpool. 
And they could have added two more in a minute after defence splitting passes from Gravenberch and Szoboszlai respectively. First Diaz is pushed wide when seemingly through and then Salah shoots tamely from 15yards straight at Walton. 
A brand new Liverpool in this half, one which moves the ball forward quickly with Alexander-Arnold’s playmaking brilliance to the fore. 
Ipswich 0 Liverpool 2 (Salah) Salah exploits Rip van Davis again, creeping in behind him having lurked on his shoulder, to cushion a diagonal, run in from the left and play a one-two with Szoboszlai. For the second time he peels off Davis’ shoulder to roll a typical Salah left-foot finish beyond Walton.
Mo Salah opens his account for the 2024/25 season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PFqNkAXjAW
Ipswich 0 Liverpool 1 (Jota)  Terrific move with Alexander-Arnold to the fore exploiting Davis’s defensive ricketiness. The left-back is caught between pressing A-A and covering Salah and gets stranded in no man’s land. Alexander-Arnold slips the perfect pass to Salah who runs unopposed into the box, draws Woolfenden and then puts it on a plate for Jota to scoop into the net. 
Diogo Jota bags Liverpool’s first Premier League goal under Arne Slot 🤩 pic.twitter.com/OmiuSV4XFY
Liverpool are knocking now and fashion two chances in 30 seconds as they move into fifth gear. First Szoboszlai’s shot from 18 yards is blocked by Woolfenden and then Diogo Jota makes a complete mess of a back-post header from Alexander-Arnold’s cross, heading it the wrong way instead of back towards the goal. 
Extraordinarily slick move between Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold and Jota sets up Diaz to run into the box and scoop a shot, under great pressure from Walton, on to the roof of the net. Walton appeared to clip him after he got the shot off but the referee wasn’t convinced and VAR backs him up. 
Big penalty shout for Ipswich when the referee puts his whistle to his lips after Van Dijk seems to wrap an arm around Delap as he tried to spin on to Davis’s left wing cross. But the flag went up for offside and the ref was spared having to make a decision when VAR backed up the linesman. 
Scratch that, Burns is back on, at least while Ben Johnson receives his instructions. Alexander-Arnold’s error lets Davis in round the back to feed Delap but Mac Allister cuts it out.
Burns cannot continue, having popped something while battling Robertson out on the right.  
Szoboszlai laces a wonderful diagonal out to Diaz on the left. The Colombia winger controls the ball, knocks it inside Tuanzebe and then lets fly, aiming for the top right but doesn’t get the bend. And the ball heads off towards the corner flag. 
From Alexander-Arnold’s corner on the left the ball drops to Salah who threads a curling shot towards the bottom left corner until Greaves gets a shin on it and prevents what looked like a certain goal,. 
Ipswich kick off after the substitution which must be down to an injury. Konate spent the last few minutes of the first half warming up. Mac Allister takes the ball and exploits the fact he wasn’t fouled to win a corner off Tuanzebe. 
Konate ⇢ Qansah
The roar at the half-time whistle tells a story: the home support is pleased with this Ipswich performance. Ipswich have shown that they are ready to compete. Liverpool look a bit flat. The hardest thing is the goals, however, and those have looked less easier for Ipswich. They have threatened from set-pieces and one good Liam Delap run down the left. Otherwise they are learning that Premier League referees are much less tolerant.
After only a minute of sterile stoppage time, Ipswich depart to a standing ovation. They have been the better side in terms of energy, promise and attacking threat while Liverpool look like a side coming to terms with new management, waiting for a spark, struggling for coherence as they switch from hammer and tongs to the dental drill approach. 
Some short, probing passing across Ipswich’s 18-yard line between Diaz, Mac Allister and Salah ends when Salah rolls the ball into the path of Alexander-Arnold who harpoons a shot with his right instep over the bar. 
Marvellous control from Delap to take a long diagonal down with a velvety trap in full stride and round Quansah to cross. Liverpool defend in numbers. 
Ipswich Town playing with all the necessary intensity for the Premier League. A little more finesse and they might have a goal too. Liverpool have much more of the quality as one would expect but they are open to the counter-attack. Leif Davis is having a fine game at left-back against Mo Salah. Only another 65 minutes for him to hold out. Two good young English centre-halves on either side: new signing Jacob Greaves for Ipswich and Jarell Quansah for Liverpool. Greaves is left-footed which makes him a rarity in that position. At 23, this is his Premier League debut. Quansah is a silky player, preferred by Arne Slot to Ibrahima Konate.
Ipswich free-kick and they send their centre-backs up. they take it quickly and catch Liverpool out down the left, standing up a cross that Tuanzebe loops on to the roof of the net but not before giving Alisson kittens for a second or two as he backpedalled frantically. 
Burms should really have been sent off for grabbing the ball with his arm while on the deck to stop Robertson, who had tackled him, storming upfield. He has already been booked and that was a naild-on yellow.  
Excellent work from Jota to take the ball back to goal, spin and leave Luongo. He strides forward and his through ball is picked off by Morsy who’s attempted pass back invites both Walton and Diaz to go for it. Walton scrambles across and gets there in the nick of time with a headlong dive to the right of the penalty spot. 
It has been a slow start from Liverpool in the urgency of their midfield passing but their ability to break the lines with a ball over the top is a real danger. 
Diaz has had some treatment for reasons unknown but seems fine. 
Ipswich have been on the front foot while Liverpool are playing in third gear, but still winning corners every five minutes. The latest, the sixth, is another Robertson inswinger from which Ipswich turn a solid defensive interception into attack. Hutchinson hares off upfield down the right, hesitates then cuts in to shoot with his left. Alisson makes an easy safe to his left. 
Jermaine Jenas suggests the slow pitch is hampering Ipswich’s counter-attacking. Expect a heavy half-time watering. 
Davis gets back to make an excellent recovery tackle on Salah after the Egypt goalmachine was played in behind with a cute pass. Once again the corner is an isnwinger, once again Walton makes the save during a six-yard box melee if not as comfortably as before
Jota and Diaz combine to win a corner after a good tackle from Tuanzebe. This time on the left. Alexander-Arnold spins it under the crossbar and Walton gobbles it up. 
Ipswich fans rightly complain of double standards when Qaunsah gets away without a booking for a shirt-tug and seconds later Burns is yellow-carded for catching Mac Allsiter’s heel. “Who’s the Scouser in the black?”
Lots of shots of Ed Sheeran in the crowd every time Ipswich do something positive. Apparently he’s leaving at half-time to fly to Serbia for a gig. Poor Serbians… 
Robertson’s foul on Burns gives Ipswich a free-kick on the right out by the touchline. Morsy lofts the cross to the far post and Greaves easily wins the aerial battle to power a low header towards the right post. Alisson gets down smartly to save and smother. 
Salah is lurking persistently in the gap between Davis and Greaves and almost gets in on goal again. Feels like a matter of time.
Another Liverpool corner on the right swung in again by Robertson and Walton comes out to punch it out. Diaz concedes a free-kick by grabbing on to Burns who was shielding the clearance and waiting for reinforcements. 
Slick passing between Gravenberch and Szoboszlai sends Salah down the right and Greaces blocks the cross, turning it behind for a corner that once again Greaves and co defend well. 
Hutchinson is deservedly booked for a sliding tackle on Quansah that gets him there three seconds too late. Bit of a hospital pass from Robertson across the 18-yard line. 
Bright start from Ipswich but their passing in the last third has not been up to snuff so far. Walton rushes out of his area to welly away a long ball over the top to stop Salah running on to it. 
Ipswich bomb forward with a 3 v 2 overload but Hutchinson messes up the release pass to Chaplin down the left and Alexander-Arnold intercepts. 
Salah, even more prominent because of the hair transplant, wins a corner on the right with persistence. Robertson takes to the near post and Greaves head it out and Ipswich counter. 
Woolfenden’s foul on Jota moves the ball 20 yards further forward in instalments of free-kicks and the centre-half is booked for pulling the shirt. Robertson swings the ball in from the left but it sails over the box and out for a goalkick. 
Burns has a bog shout for a penalty but the referee rightly waves it away. Ipswich have started with real pace and confidence but Tuanzebe halts their momentum with a foul on halfway. 
Greaves flies into a tackle and knocks Mac Allister over but perfectly legally and when they recycle Hutchinson is played in down the inside right by a poor Van Dijk pass to spin and shoot. Quansah makes the vital block, reading the danger perfectly.  
Liverpool kick off and shift the ball back to Alisson who chips it up the left for Robertson and his cross is cut out by Greaves and Ipswich move the ball back upfield with some rapid passing. 
Liverpool in all red apart from their piping and pinstripes, Ipswich in royal blue/white/royal blue. No Joe Gomez on the bench for Liverpool – he is reported to be considering a transfer offer. 
He was their League One promotion keeper but a pre-season injury opened the door for Vaclav Hladky to play 45 games of the Championship promotion campaign. But he turned down the offer of a new contract and left as a free agent, ultimately for Burnley and Kieran McKenna brought in Arijanet Muric from the Clarets. But Walton gets first dibs in nets because Muric has had a knock. 
Rob Bagchi here now. Thanks to Ellen McLaughlin for starting the blog off. Have you read Jamie Carragher’s analysis of Arne Slot’s prospects? 
If not, help yourself…
Liverpool manager Arne Slot talks to TNT:
On his first Premier League match:
I’m definitely looking forward to it … it’s all about getting a result … it’s all about preparing the team … not thinking too much about first game or new stadium or whatever it is … the job is the same whether you work in Holland or here, you want to prepare in the best possible way and that’s what we’ve tried to do.
On the team’s pre-season performances:
Jurgen [Klopp] and Pepijn [Ljinders] left the team in a really good place … full of energy … I do think our results [in pre-season] were a bit better than the way we played. 
We had some wins where the game was not as clear as the result might look … but very positive with the way we have worked until now … we have to be competitive against a good Ipswich team … there will always be one or two differences [in playing styles] which is normal because we are not the same people.
On his team selection:
But I’m hoping and expecting that many things will still be the same … Ryan Gravenberch has the attributes to play [number six] but has to develop in that position … he is comfortable with the ball and can keep running.
Portman Road looks magnificent in the August sunshine. Back in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, there is a keen sense of optimism and a strong smell of fresh paint around the ground. 
There are lots of infrastructure requirements for clubs who come up to the Premier League after a long absence – or for the first time. 
It will have been a busy summer for Ipswich but days like these are what makes it all worth it. The club’s staff all look very motivated. 
Ask for directions and they are just as likely to walk you there themselves. Norwich City legend Peter Crouch is pitchside with Joe Cole for TNT Sport. The Premier League show has come to town. 
As for the teams – new Ipswich signing Kalvin Phillips starts on the bench. The Liverpool line-up looks strong.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna speaking to TNT sports: 
We’re excited. It is a great occasion for the club first and foremost. The first game here in the Premier League in 22 years and we want to make the most of it.
On team selection: 
It is the core of the group that we have had to be honest, ten of the starting team are making their first starts in the Premier League today. We have seven of the group that have been with us since League One, so it is a fantastic opportunity for those boys.
We hare still in the process of integrating new signings, Liam [Delap] has come in to the team today and we have some players on the bench too that we think will improve us going forward.
On staying at the club and interest:
I feel like I wanted to be here for sure, I wouldn’t say I owed it but I wanted to be here. The club has been amazing with me offering me my first chance in management at 35 years old. We have been on an incredible journey. I wanted to be the one leading this team out in the Premier League this season, it feels like the right thing and the right place to be.
Who will win the title? Who will finish in the top four? Which teams will be involved in the relegation battle? Our experts have been giving their views on how they think this season will pan out.
The hosts’ starting XI includes three players who joined over the summer – defender Jacob Greaves Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap all feature at Portman Road this afternoon. 
New signings Kalvin Phillips and Sammie Szmodics are both on the bench.
Here’s how we start for our first game back in the @premierleague! 💪@Nustone_UK | #IPSLIV pic.twitter.com/zepQrAtNm0
New era starts at Liverpool under Arne Slot this afternoon – eight players who started Jurgen Klopp’s final game in charge start at Portman Road.
Diogo Jota starts for the visitors but there is no place in the starting XI for Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott.
Interesting to note that Joe Gomez is not with the squad. The defender is looking at transfer options in the final two weeks of the window.
Team news is in for #IPSLIV ✊🔴
The life-long Ipswich fan is at Portman Road this afternoon – for his team’s first Premier League match for 22 years.
Sheeran purchased a 1.4 per cent stake in the club and has been the club’s main shirt sponsor since 2021.
With clubs now allowed to announce their starting XI’s from 75 minutes before kick-off, we should get both line-ups in just a matter of minutes.
Betting on the football today? Take a look at these best betting sites for free bets and betting offers.
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of Ipswich Town vs Liverpool from the Premier League. Traditionally this would be the fixture that would allow me the indulgence of quoting liberally from Tom Boswell’s essay ‘Why time begins on opening day’, about a pristine fixture list incarnating hope and why Everests of hysteria provoked by football these days have not wholly destroyed the sense of optimism each new season brings. But since some Premier League vandal/berk decided to shift opening day to a Friday night, that would be a bit passé
Instead, then we had better begin with the prospect of Kieran McKenna’s vibrant Ipswich Town team, after back-to-back promotions, playing the club’s first Premier League match since May 11 2002 when Messrs Bramble, Hreidarsson, Holland, Bent and Bent were, rather ominously, gubbed 5-0 by Liverpool. Twenty-two years on, they take on the Reds again but in far better shape by virtue of Leif Davis, the EFL king of the assist, the wonderful control of Conor Chaplin and some very astute signings in Jacob Greaves, Liam Delap and tying up a long-term deal for Omari Hutchinson, too. Their success over the past two seasons has been built on getting off to a flyer, winning six of their first eight in League One and seven of their first eight in the Championship. McKenna will have them primed to fly out of the traps this afternoon.
As for Liverpool, who finished in third last season, nine points behind Man City but 14 ahead of fourth-placed Villa, the new manager Arne Slot has overseen good pre-season victories over Betis, Arsenal, Liverpool and Sevilla, having great fun with Jürgen Klopp’s train set and employing some interesting tactical tweaks with Harvey Elliott as a 10 and an all out 4-2-4 at times when going forward. He has also used 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1 during the friendlies and will be interesting to see how they adapt to cope with Ipswich’s well-grooved fluency, particularly down the left. Town haven’t won a top-flight first fixture since 1993, Liverpool have not lost one since 2012 but have drawn the last two. 
It feels appropriate that it is Liverpool who are the visitors for Ipswich’’s return, their rivalry from 1975-82, won by Bob Paisley’s Liverpool but with some unforgettable moments for Bobby Robson’s side, adorned the game. Let’s hope today is a reprise.