Alexander Isak finally showed the form that made him one of English football's most expensive signings, scoring twice inside the opening nine minutes as Liverpool eased to a 2-0 win away at Ipswich Town on Friday night. The result marked new manager Andoni Iraola's first Premier League victory since taking charge, following the sacking of Arne Slot.
While Ipswich, who had already shipped five goals against Manchester United last week, offered spirited resistance, they were ultimately powerless to stop Liverpool's rapid start. Isak's brace inside the opening quarter-hour effectively settled the contest before it had properly begun, giving Liverpool their first league win of the campaign.
The Swedish striker's display carried extra significance given his difficult debut season on Merseyside. Isak arrived last summer in a British record £125m deal from Newcastle United, but the transfer was marred by acrimony after he reportedly downed tools to force the move. What followed was a stop-start campaign disrupted by injury, in which he managed just four goals in 22 appearances across all competitions, and only three in 14 Premier League outings. He was frequently overshadowed by fellow forward Hugo Ekitike during a torrid title defence that ultimately cost Slot his job.
Against Ipswich, however, Isak looked transformed, exploiting his trademark strengths of running in behind defenders and pressing aggressively. In the sixth minute, he latched onto a clever pass from Cody Gakpo, cutting between defenders Leif Davis and Jacob Greaves before firing a powerful effort past goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen. Three minutes later, he doubled his tally with a moment of real quality — receiving a raking outside-of-the-foot pass from Gakpo, Isak used a deft flick to skip past Greaves, sent Scherpen the wrong way with a touch, and rolled the ball home coolly with his left foot.
Gakpo, who nearly left Anfield this summer for Manchester City before the move collapsed, was instrumental throughout, providing both assists and generally dictating play as Liverpool's most influential attacker on the night. Bradley Barcola, a £123m signing from Paris Saint-Germain, also made his mark with a lively 26-minute cameo showcasing his pace after coming off the bench.
Speaking after the match, Iraola praised his striker's contribution but stressed there was more to come.