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Portman Road, Ipswich
Friday 4 September 2026, 20:00 BST
Ipswich Town welcome Liverpool to Portman Road on Friday night in what could be the most entertaining fixture of Premier League matchday three, with four of their combined matches producing 18 goals so far this season.
Gary O'Neil's side earned a 2-1 victory over Sunderland on the opening day before shipping five at Old Trafford, while Andoni Iraola's Liverpool have drawn both of their league matches 2-2, leaving the Spaniard still searching for his first competitive win as Reds manager.
Preview: Ipswich Town vs Liverpool
Ipswich's return to the Premier League under O'Neil has produced entertainment in abundance, but the results tell a story of extremes rather than consistency.
The 2-1 opening-day win over Sunderland at Portman Road showcased the attacking intent O'Neil has instilled since replacing Kieran McKenna, with Julio Enciso pulling the strings behind Emersonn and earning the man of the match award on his first Premier League start since returning to the club on a permanent deal.
That bright start was followed by a chastening 5-2 defeat at Old Trafford, where Ipswich's defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed once Manchester United found their rhythm in the second half.
The Tractor Boys have invested heavily this summer, spending in excess of £160 million to strengthen O'Neil's squad with the likes of Enciso from Strasbourg, Exequiel Palacios from Bayer Leverkusen, Sasa Lukic and deadline-day arrival Zian Flemming from Burnley.
Ipswich have scored in every competitive match this season, including a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City, and their willingness to attack regardless of the opposition makes them a genuine threat at home, even against Liverpool's superior squad depth.
Liverpool's early-season form under Iraola presents an unusual picture for a club of their stature: unbeaten, but without a win.
The 2-2 draw away at Newcastle on the opening weekend saw Iraola's side twice come from behind, a pattern that repeated itself in the 2-2 stalemate against Nottingham Forest at Anfield, where Liverpool again needed late intervention to rescue a point.
Iraola inherited a squad bolstered by last summer's arrivals of Alexander Isak from Newcastle and Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, and added further quality this window with Ronald Araujo from Barcelona, Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, Victor Munoz from Osasuna and, most recently, Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to £123 million.
Isak opened his account for the season with a goal against Nottingham Forest last weekend, and the Sweden international's movement inside the box gives Iraola a proven focal point as he works to implement his tactical blueprint.
Those seeking the best new sports betting sites ahead of the weekend's Premier League action will find plenty of competitive markets on this fixture, with both sides contributing to open, high-scoring encounters so far this term.
Ipswich Town vs Liverpool team news
Ipswich Town
O'Neil is likely to have all 11 starters from the Manchester United defeat available for this fixture, with the only confirmed absentees coming from the fringes of the squad.
Jaden Philogene-Bidace remains sidelined with an ankle injury and is not expected back until mid-September, while Jack Taylor is also missing with a knee problem.
Azor Matusiwa is the most notable doubt, with the midfielder's muscle injury carrying a return date that coincides with match day itself, making his involvement a late call for O'Neil's medical staff.
Florentino, one of the summer signings, is also rated doubtful with an unspecified injury and may miss out.
Emersonn was withdrawn after 45 minutes of the defeat to Man United due to a knock on his knee, although O'Neil is hopeful that the injury is nothing serious and the striker should be available for this one.
Liverpool
Liverpool's injury list is considerably longer, with three players ruled out for extended periods.
Conor Bradley is recovering from a knee injury and will not return until late September at the earliest, while summer signing Giovanni Leoni ruptured his cruciate ligament and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Hugo Ekitike's Achilles tendon injury means he is not expected back until January 2027, leaving Iraola without a key attacking option for most of the first half of the season.
Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa will both miss out again, although Iraola confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Gomez should be back in training next week, while Chiesa will be available after the international break.
Jeremy Jacquet had been listed as a doubt, but the centre-back has shaken off a knee issue and is expected to be available.
New £123m man Barcola could feature in the squad for the first time, but will likely be eased in from the bench rather than thrown straight into the starting lineup. Those interested in visiting the best football gambling websites will find enhanced markets for Friday night's encounter.
Predicted XIs: Ipswich Town vs Liverpool
Ipswich Town predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Scherpen; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Lukic, Nunez; Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn
Ipswich Town
Liverpool predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Wirtz, Munoz; Isak
Liverpool
Head-to-head: Ipswich Town vs Liverpool
Liverpool have dominated this fixture in the modern era, winning five of their seven meetings with Ipswich since 2000, with one draw and a solitary Ipswich victory in that period.
The two most recent encounters came during Ipswich's return to the Premier League in 2024-25, and both ended emphatically in Liverpool's favour: a 2-0 away win at Portman Road in August 2024, followed by a 4-1 victory at Anfield in January 2025.
Those results belong to a different era in terms of both squads, however, with Ipswich fielding a virtually unrecognisable lineup from last season following O'Neil's squad overhaul, and Liverpool operating under an entirely new manager and tactical system.
The best UK sports gambling sites will offer a range of head-to-head markets for Friday's encounter, though the historical record alone should not inform betting decisions given how extensively both squads have changed since their last meeting.
Our Ipswich Town vs Liverpool prediction and tips
Our BoyleSports review provides a comprehensive breakdown of their football betting markets and current sign-up terms for those looking to place bets on this weekend's Premier League fixtures.
- Liverpool rescued points from losing positions in both Premier League matches so far, scoring late goals against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest
- Ipswich conceded only one goal in their sole home match this season (2-1 vs Sunderland), compared with five at Old Trafford
- Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have combined for two goals and two assists in just two Premier League rounds
- Neither side has managed a Premier League clean sheet this season, with a combined eight goals conceded between them in four matches
Adam is a freelance sports journalist with a decade of experience in the industry. Football is his passion, although he also follows darts and many other sports.
Adam supports Arsenal and local club Wealdstone, made famous by the Wealdstone Raider, who he has interviewed. Adam also follows the women's teams and the England national side.