Premier League | Gameweek 23

Jan 25, 2025 at 3pm UK

Anfield

Liverpool vs Ipswich

Match preview

Liverpool maintained their unblemished European record and all but guaranteed top spot in the 36-team competition, surviving a brief scare to see off 2020-21 Ligue 1 champions Lille at Anfield on Tuesday night and avoid an unwanted two-legged play-off.

Mohamed Salah's exquisite curler and Harvey Elliott's deflected effort either side of Jonathan David's equaliser gave Slot his seventh win from as many European games at the helm of Liverpool, and a point against PSV Eindhoven next week will ensure the Reds sail through the league phase as 'champions'.

As well as topping the continental standings, Liverpool extended their lead over the chasing pack in the Premier League to six points last weekend, albeit not without two late heroics from the mercurial Darwin Nunez against a dogged Brentford side.

The Uruguayan's astonishing late brace not only secured Liverpool's first Premier League win of the calendar year, but also extended their impressive unbeaten run in the league to 17 games since their first and only home defeat under Slot.

Remarkably, since their shock defeat to Nottingham Forest in mid-September, the Reds have scored at least twice in each of their last 14 home games in all competitions and the form book suggests that 14 will become 15 when Ipswich visit.

On the other hand, the Tractor Boys faithful may welcome the trip with open arms after two humiliating results at Portman Road, with Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City beaten by a combined score of 8-0 in the last two weeks.

After an agonising 2-0 defeat to the Seagulls on 16 January, Kieran McKenna's men were comprehensively dismantled by resurgent champions Man City, who were three goals up at half-time and added three more in the second 45 minutes.

From the highs of a three-match unbeaten run to the lows of consecutive home defeats, Ipswich have slipped back into the Premier League relegation zone, although only an inferior goal difference keeps them below Wolverhampton Wanderers in the relative safety of 17th place.

Ipswich may have gone eight Premier League away games without keeping a clean sheet, but they have picked up an impressive 56% of their points away from home this season; of all 20 Premier League teams, only Crystal Palace (59%) have picked up more of their points away from home.

Coincidentally, Anfield was the site of Ipswich's last victory over Liverpool, although that 1-0 win came in December 2000, and the Reds' 2-0 win at Portman Road in August made it four wins in a row against their East Anglian opponents.

Recent Performance

Liverpool Premier League form:WWWDDW

Liverpool form (all competitions):DLWDWW

Ipswich Town Premier League form:LLWDLL

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):LWDWLL

Team News

Both Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch were taken off at half-time in Liverpool's win over Lille, with the latter's substitution simply to give him a rest, but Slot confirmed that Jones had suffered a minor injury and had to leave the field.

Jones' availability for Saturday's clash is therefore uncertain, but Alexis Mac Allister is expected to return to the squad either way, and Slot will definitely be without Diogo Jota (muscle) and Joe Gomez (hamstring) for the weekend.

With Slot making a handful of changes in midweek, a refreshed Reds XI on Saturday should see the reintroduction of Cody Gakpo, who could emulate Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie by becoming only the third Dutchman to score in five consecutive home Premier League games.

While Liverpool may lose an English midfielder for the 23rd round, Ipswich will welcome back Kalvin Phillips, who was unavailable for last weekend's clash with his parent club but could now replace Sam Morsy in the middle of the park.

The Tractor Boys' sickbay has also emptied out recently with the return of Axel Tuanzebe and George Hirst, but Sammie Szmodics (ankle), Conor Chaplin (knee) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) are still sidelined, while Jacob Greaves and Luke Woolfenden were also absent last time out for unexplained reasons.

McKenna unsurprisingly sacrificed an attacker for an extra defender against Man City, but that 5-4-1 formation was torn to shreds by Pep Guardiola's side, so the Ipswich boss may revert to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation against an equally threatening opponent.

Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Julio Enciso could be a beneficiary of such a change - his arrival was confirmed on Thursday - but he is unlikely to be in contention for a start just yet.

Possible starting lineup

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Chiesa; Gakpo

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste; Johnson, Hutchinson, Philogene; Delap