Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Ipswich this afternoon was virtually the “perfect performance”, according to boss Arne Slot.
Cody Gakpo continued his fine season with a brace, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah also on target for Liverpool who maintained their six-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table.
Jacob Greaves pulled one back late on for Ipswich but they were outclassed for much of the afternoon and have now conceded 10 goals in two games to see their relegation fears increase.
A selfie from the Reds on the scoresheet 😊🤳 pic.twitter.com/KqF2PbHEBb
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 25, 2025
📰 Table Of Contents
Early breakthrough paved the way for victory – Slot
Szoboszlai’s early goal was crucial, according to Dutchman Slot, who said: “It’s been a few times now that we played a home game that we conceded a goal in the start of the game, but I think today is the way you want to start the game: we were aggressive, dominant.
“For 85 minutes they have hardly been in our half I think. It is a counter-attack threat with the wingers they have and with [Liam] Delap but we managed to control that so, so, so well because of the amount of work we have put in.
“In the end, we are all a bit disappointed with conceding [from] a corner – the first one this season – but for 85 minutes it was almost a perfect performance, against a team that goes to such a low block. That’s not always easy then, but the way we did it for 85 minutes was really good.”
Special praise for Szoboszlai
Slot was particularly pleased for Hungary captain Szoboszlai, who he feels sometimes goes under the radar.
He added: “If you zoom in on Dom, I think at the beginning of the season he would have played that ball to Mo, which most of the time was a very good choice because Mo can definitely score a goal as well.
“And now he decided to go for the goal himself and scored the goal himself. Nice for him because, in my opinion, he is a bit underestimated. Not by me, but he doesn’t always get the credits for the fact he is very important for this team, because his work-rate is un-be-lievable.
“He just keeps on running with the highest intensity, and that is so important for a team that wants to compete for something.”
There’s no place like home 🏟️
A goal in each of his last seven starts at Anfield for Gakpo 🇳🇱✨ pic.twitter.com/UDaBiwnqK1
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 25, 2025
Relegation fears continue for Ipswich
Ipswich remain in the bottom three and in the middle of a sticky run following their 6-0 thrashing by Manchester City last weekend.
Boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Sport: “It was another tough game for us. There was positivity in how we ended it. I didn’t think first half we were under huge pressure but Liverpool are clinical and we didn’t defend our box well enough. It’s come at a tricky stage of the season but we will take our lessons from it.
“Everyone comes with a plan but when they score a first goal like that it’s really difficult. Credit to my players with how they stuck at it in the second half.
“We’ll look back at it. We need to do some things better than we did in the first half. I know it’s halfway through the season but that’s the first time that back four have been together since game six.”
There may be more bad news for Ipswich with winger Wes Burns taken off with a nasty-looking injury.
McKenna added: “His knee is very swollen. we’re not too positive.”
