Ipswich Town is gearing up to welcome Liverpool to Portman Road on Friday for a Premier League encounter that features two teams struggling to find their rhythm early in the season. Currently, Ipswich sits in 12th place, while Liverpool finds itself just below in 13th, both teams looking to secure their first win of the campaign.
The match marks a notable reunion between two managers, Gary O’Neil of Ipswich and Andoni Iraola of Liverpool, who previously crossed paths in the managerial ranks at Bournemouth. O’Neil took over at Ipswich in June 2023, following Kieran McKenna's successful tenure that saw the club return to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Iraola succeeded Arne Slot at Anfield after three seasons with Bournemouth, and this match will be the first time they face each other as Premier League managers.
Both teams have experienced a rocky start to the season. Ipswich began with a promising 2-1 victory over Sunderland but faltered in their subsequent match, suffering a heavy 5-2 defeat to Manchester United. Despite this setback, O’Neil's squad has shown resilience, winning six of their last seven matches across all competitions, including a recent 3-1 triumph over Leicester City in the EFL Cup.
On the other hand, Liverpool has yet to secure a win, having drawn their first two matches of the season against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, both ending in 2-2 stalemates. The Reds have struggled defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet so far, and are eager to turn their fortunes around. A highlight for Liverpool was Victor Munoz's late equalizer against Nottingham, marking a promising start for the young player.
In terms of team news, Ipswich will be without Azor Matusiwa, Jack Taylor, and Jaden Philogene due to injuries. However, O’Neil confirmed that Emersonn has recovered from a knee injury and is available for selection. Florentino Luis also returns from a calf issue, and new signing Zian Flemming, who joined from Burnley for £20 million, could make his debut, potentially in a false-nine role alongside Julio Enciso or in a more traditional two-striker setup.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will miss several key players, including Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike, and Giovanni Leoni, all sidelined due to injuries. New acquisition Bradley Barcola, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain for £123 million, has trained fully and may be in contention for a spot on the bench, although Iraola has indicated that starting him might be premature given his lack of pre-season preparation.
The match is set to kick off at 20:00 BST, with Darren England officiating. Fans can catch the action live on Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage beginning at 19:00 BST. The last time these two teams met, Liverpool triumphed with a commanding 4-1 victory over Ipswich in January 2025, but both teams will be hoping for a different outcome this time around as they seek to kickstart their seasons.
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