Isak’s Quickfire Double Shines in Liverpool’s 2-0 Win Over Ipswich, Overshadowing Barcola’s Debut and Gakpo’s Impressive Performance

CODY GAKPO could have been spotted in a Manchester City or Spurs shirt today after departing Anfield.

Ultimately, Liverpool managed to avoid a potentially catastrophic transfer error that would have lingered in their memories.

The Dutch winger continued his strong start to the season, providing assists for Alexander Isak’s two goals within the opening nine minutes at Portman Road, while Andoni Iraola finally celebrated his first win as manager.

This summer, the club has invested over £200million in new signings and has made their third acquisition costing more than £100m with Bradley Barcola, who debuted in the 64th minute.

Surprisingly, one crucial player for Iraola was already within his ranks, even as Gakpo was being nudged toward the exit.

In today’s market, where top-tier forwards command premium fees, it’s astonishing that Liverpool contemplated selling Gakpo, highlighting a misalignment in their transfer approach.

While Liverpool hasn’t been remarkable this season, Gakpo has emerged as their standout player.

His assists for Isak’s two goals displayed his talent, and he was the standout performer in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle, scoring a goal himself.

Gakpo also excelled in the 2-2 draw versus Nottingham, setting up Isak.

Overall, in the first 190 minutes of the Premier League season, Gakpo has provided three assists and scored once.

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It appears that Liverpool wasn’t the only Merseyside team to act irrationally ahead of the transfer deadline.

They only held on to Gakpo because an agreement for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh fell through and they were uncertain about the situation with Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.

Gakpo was particularly impressive in Suffolk, with Isak also indicating a potential for a strong season ahead, overcoming his past form and injuries from last year.

The £125m signing from Newcastle has already scored three goals in the Premier League, equalling his tally from the previous year.

Though some of his scoring chances benefited from poor goalkeeping by Ipswich’s Kjell Scherpen and subpar defense from Jacob Greaves, his finishing was noteworthy. This victory was vital for Iraola due to the potential repercussions of not winning.

After a rocky start to his career at Liverpool, Iraola understands that the expectations here are vastly different from his previous job at Bournemouth, where he did not win in his first nine top-flight games.

While Ipswich faced significant challenges, Liverpool will encounter tougher contests in the future, including a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Although Liverpool’s recent influx of new players will require adjustment time, Gakpo remains vital to their tactical plans.

For Ipswich, this match was another disappointing result following their 5-2 defeat to Manchester United, a stark contrast to their promising opening win against Sunderland.

New manager Gary O’Neil will likely be worried about winger Abdul Fatowa’s struggle to win crucial duels, while new Argentine signing Exequiel Palacios was effectively outclassed by Gakpo, despite setting up Isak’s goal.

Isak capitalized on Greaves’ hesitation, blasting a powerful shot past Scherpen.

Greaves struggled at Old Trafford against United, and his challenges persisted as Isak turned him inside out following another brilliant pass from Gakpo, slotting the ball past the helpless Scherpen.

Dominik Szoboszlai found plenty of room in midfield, testing Scherpen with a few solid attempts.

Meanwhile, Gakpo inadvertently contributed defensively when keeper Alisson misjudged a corner; remarkably, the ball hit Gakpo and landed safely in his arms.

Ipswich mounted an offensive, with Julio Enciso’s shot blocked by Alexis Mac Allister and Leif Davis’s header soaring over the bar.

Isak had scored a hat-trick during his last visit to this ground with Newcastle in 2024 and thought he had netted a third today, only to be flagged offside.

Szoboszlai also believed a penalty was warranted after being fouled by Leif Davis, only to discover he was offside in the lead-up.

Meanwhile, Ipswich posed minimal threat despite Liverpool’s shaky defense coming into this match.

When Alisson failed to properly handle a shot from Enciso, new signing Emersson should have anticipated the rebound.

Conversely, Ipswich is likely to be okay, and after investing nearly £200m this summer, their new arrivals will require time to integrate.

Two years ago, they struggled under Kieran McKenna, but with significant investment and the capable leadership of Gary O’Neil, they should manage to survive.

However, Ipswich will be thankful they don’t have to face Gakpo and Isak on a weekly basis.