Ipswich Town are back in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years and the Tractor Boys host Liverpool at Portman Road on Saturday.
What a start back to life in the big time, as they host Liverpool and then head to reigning champs Manchester City in their first two games.
WATCH IPSWICH v LIVERPOOL LIVE
Kieran McKenna has done an incredible job to seal back-to-back promotions from the third tier to the Premier League, with Ipswich defying the odds last season to gain automatic promotion to the top-flight. They’re direct, clinical on the counter and exciting to watch with plenty of late drama and Ipswich will add something very different to the Premier League this season. Think of them as a beefed-up Luton Town.
Liverpool will be very different this season too, as Jurgen Klopp is gone and Arne Slot embarks on his first season in charge of the Reds. There will be subtle tweaks to their playing style and the majority of the squad has remained the same, so Slot is all about evolution rather than revolution. Still, expectations are high with Liverpool back in the Champions League and expected to push for the title once again as they hung in there until the final month of last season before Man City and Arsenal kicked on and left Liverpool in their wake.
How to watch Ipswich vs Liverpool, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 7:30am ET, Saturday (August 17)
Venue: Portman Road
TV channel: USA Network
Streaming: Watch via NBC.com
Ipswich Town team news, focus
The star player to watch out for is Omari Hutchinson, as the winger was on loan from Chelsea last season and ripped up the Championship. Ipswich have signed him permanently and Hutchinson, 20, is their main man in attack. Elsewhere they have an experienced midfield (Massimo Luongo and Sam Morsy) and Leif Davis is an attacking left back who will cause plenty of problems for Premier League defenses. Ipswich do have some injury issues to navigate, as forwards George Hirst and Nathan Broadhead are out for the first few months of the campaign, while defender Harry Clarke is also missing.
Liverpool team news, focus
Andy Robertson has missed preseason after picking up an ankle injury but he will be back soon, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones are out. Arne Slot has developed Liverpool’s play over the summer months to be a bit slower in possession and more rotation is allowed in midfield and attack, which will allow the likes of Mohamed Salah to roam freely. Diogo Jota has looked sharp, so too has Luis Diaz as both scored beauties in the friendly win against Sevilla last weekend. The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister have just returned to action but should all be available to start this weekend.
Ipswich Town vs Liverpool prediction
This has the whiff of an upset in the air but it feels like Liverpool’s forwards will give Ipswich a rude awakening to what lies ahead in the Premier League. Ipswich Town 1-3 Liverpool.
