Isak Sparks Liverpool to First Win Under Iraola

IPSWICH, England — Liverpool needed a spark under Andoni Iraola. Alexander Isak lit the fuse in nine ruthless minutes.

After back‑to‑back 2-2 draws with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, the new coach arrived at Portman Road still searching for his first Premier League victory. The wait barely lasted longer than the pre‑match applause.

Six minutes in, Liverpool were in front. Cody Gakpo slipped a pass into the right side of the area, Isak took it in stride and lashed a fierce effort that crashed off goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen and bounced over the line. Direct. Clinical. Exactly what Iraola has been hired to deliver.

Ipswich barely had time to reset.

Three minutes later, Gakpo carved them open again, this time with a touch of flair. From deep, he used the outside of his boot to curl a long, arcing ball in behind the home defence. Isak burst onto it, shifted his weight, changed feet, and drilled his finish past Scherpen. Two shots, two goals, and Liverpool were suddenly playing with the authority their new era had been missing.

Ipswich, promoted at the end of last season, tried to steady themselves after the early barrage. They have already shown they can live at this level, with one win from their opening three games, but here the damage had been done before the contest could settle into any kind of rhythm. Liverpool controlled the tempo, happy to let the ball do the running after Isak’s early destruction.

The night also belonged, in part, to Bradley Barcola. The 123 million‑pound signing from Paris Saint‑Germain pulled on a Liverpool shirt in competitive action for the first time when he came off the bench in the 63rd minute. With the result effectively locked, his introduction felt like a statement about what comes next under Iraola: pace, aggression, and big‑ticket talent trusted to change games.

Liverpool did not add to the scoreline, but they didn’t need to. The early storm had been enough. Ipswich, now with two defeats and one win on their Premier League return, know exactly how ruthless this division can be.

For Iraola, though, this was the night his Liverpool truly arrived. Two goals from his new spearhead, a debut for a record signing, and finally a win to go with the promise.