Liverpool vs Ipswich Town Premier League score predicted as seven-goal thriller unfolds
Liverpool will be looking to maintain or extend their gap at the top of the Premier League table this weekend when they welcome Ipswich Town to Anfield.
It's been a good week for Liverpool, with the Reds beating Brentford 2-0 in the Premier League last weekend before beating Lille 2-1 in the Champions League, confirming their place in the knockout stages of the competition. The Reds are the only team to have won seven from seven in the Champions League, and Arne Slot will be hoping his side can carry that momentum into the clash against Ipswich later today.
Ipswich currently sit 18th in the Premier League, with their 6-0 loss to Man City last weekend sending them into the relegation zone on goal difference. The two sides last met on the opening day of the Premier League season, with Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota getting on the scoresheet.
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The latter will be absent once again alongside Joe Gomez, while Curtis Jones will join them on the sidelines after picking up a knock against Lille on Tuesday night. So, can Liverpool pick up another three points in the Premier League later today? Let's take a look...
Liverpool vs Ipswich Town Premier League score predicted
To complete this simulation, we used EA FC 25 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.
We predict that Liverpool could line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with their starting XI as follows: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Nunez.
We predict that Ipswich could set up in a 3-4-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Walton; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Burgess; Johnson, Morsy, Cajuste, Davis; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene.
As we've seen on occasion this season, Liverpool began the game sluggishly, and the Reds were made to pay when Liam Delap got ahead of Ibrahima Konate at the front post to head home Omari Hutchinson's cross seven minutes in. But, the goal acted as a wake-up call for Slot's side, with Liverpool turning the game on its head before half-time.
11 minutes in, Darwin Nunez got on the scoresheet with a glancing header at the near post to direct Kostas Tsimikas' cross into the net. Then, just before the break, Salah got on the scoresheet, with the winger drifting into the middle to meet Cody Gakpo's through ball before firing past the 'keeper from a tight angle.
Just after the break, Gakpo grabbed Liverpool's third, with the Dutchman scoring in trademark fashion as he cut in from the left and drilled his shot into the far corner of the goal. Slot's side were dominant, and 61 minutes in, they were 4-1 up.
A long ball forward from Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out Salah on the left, and the Egypitan flicked the ball through the legs of the defender to break into the box on his left foot. A brilliant strike saw him curl the ball into the top corner of the net, putting the Reds out of sight.
Moments later, Ryan Gravenberch was tripped in the box to earn Liverpool a penalty, with Salah stepping up to score emphatically, securing his hat-trick and grabbing his side's fifth of the afternoon. Ipswich couldn't handle the attacking talent on display from Slot's side, and in the 89th minute, Liverpool made it five.
A short corner routine saw Dominik Szoboszlai exchange passes with Andrew Robertson before the latter drilled a low and hard cross into the box. Virgil van Dijk peeled away from his defender to meet the ball, with the Dutchman placing his shot into the far corner, topping off an incredible game at Anfield.
