Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches in the opening round of the English Premier League will take place on Saturday afternoon at Portman Road, where Ipswich Town will host Liverpool. Here’s a prediction for the match from the experts at Dailysports.
Ipswich Town
The "Tractor Boys" once boasted victories in the FA Cup and UEFA Cup, though these triumphs are distant memories. At the dawn of the new millennium, Ipswich Town endured a severe crisis that led to their relegation from the Premier League. Kieran McKenna took charge of the "Blues" in December 2021 and helped the team retain its place in League One.
In the following season, Ipswich secured a direct promotion to the Championship, and just a year later, they marked their return to the top flight. The team finished second, falling short of Leicester by only one point. This summer, the club has been active in the transfer market, bringing in Omari Hutchinson, Jacob Greaves, Liam Delap, and Arijanet Muric.
Liverpool
For the "Reds," the most significant personnel change is the departure of the legendary Jürgen Klopp, who was instrumental in all of Liverpool’s recent successes. However, it must be acknowledged that Klopp didn’t leave on a high note. The season was disappointing, with the team only winning the English League Cup, despite ambitions in the Europa League and the Premier League.
Ultimately, Liverpool crashed out of European competitions after a heavy home defeat to Atalanta and finished third in the league table, nine points behind the champions. During the offseason, now under the guidance of Arne Slot, Liverpool played five friendlies, remaining unbeaten. They secured victories against Betis, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Sevilla, although Las Palmas managed to hold them to a 0-0 draw.
Interesting Facts and Head-to-Head History
- The last time these teams met was in 2002, when Liverpool thrashed Ipswich 6-0 away and 5-0 at home.
- Before those encounters, none of the previous three matches saw more than two goals.
- Since the formation of the Premier League, Ipswich has never beaten Liverpool at home.
Ipswich Town vs Liverpool Prediction
Ipswich was strong at home last season. Bookmakers are confident in Liverpool’s victory, offering odds of 1.35. However, a dominant win for the visitors seems unlikely. Our bet is "Total Under 3.5" at odds of 1.80.
