Liverpool will be looking to kick-start their 2026-27 Premier League campaign when they travel to Portman Road to face newly promoted Ipswich Town on Friday.
The Reds have endured a frustrating opening to the season under Andoni Iraola, drawing their first two league matches against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. A late equaliser from Victor Munoz rescued a 2-2 draw against Forest last weekend, but Liverpool remain without a league victory.
The arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported £123m has provided a major boost, although the winger is expected to begin Friday’s contest on the bench. Liverpool will hope summer signing Alexander Isak can lead the attack and provide the cutting edge they have lacked.
Ipswich, meanwhile, suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat to Manchester United last weekend after initially taking the lead through Leif Davis. However, Gary O’Neil’s side have been impressive at Portman Road, beating Sunderland 2-1 in their opener before defeating Leicester City 3-1 in the EFL Cup.
The Tractor Boys have won six of their last seven matches and will believe they can trouble another Premier League heavyweight.
Team News
Ipswich Town head into the clash with several players facing fitness concerns, although manager Gary O’Neil still has a competitive squad available for the visit of Liverpool. Jaden Philogene-Bidace remains sidelined with an ankle problem, while Azor Matusiwa is also unavailable after suffering a muscle injury. Jack Taylor continues to recover from a knee issue and is not expected to feature.
Emersonn is another doubt after picking up a knee problem, while Florentino Luis will require a late fitness assessment before a decision is made on his involvement. Despite those absences, Ipswich can still call upon the core of the side that has made an encouraging start to the campaign, with their recent results providing plenty of confidence.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have a more significant injury list. Hugo Ekitike is expected to remain out for an extended period after suffering a ruptured Achilles, while new signing Giovanni Leoni is unavailable with a knee injury. Conor Bradley is also recovering from a serious knee problem and will not be involved at Portman Road.
Joe Gomez is working his way back from a muscle injury and remains a doubt, while Federico Chiesa is also carrying a minor back problem. The Reds will therefore have to manage their defensive options carefully.
There is, however, positive news in attack following the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. The £106m-rated winger could make his Liverpool debut, although he is more likely to begin the match on the bench as he settles into Iraola’s system.
With Ekitike unavailable, Liverpool are expected to rely heavily on Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo for attacking output, while Victor Munoz and Florian Wirtz could provide additional creativity.
Possible Lineups
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Scherpen; O’Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Nunez, Lukic; Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Akpom
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Wirtz, Munoz; Isak
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport Premier League |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 20:00pm (WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball predicts Ipswich Town 1-2 Liverpool.
