New Liverpool Manager Arne Slot Begins Life in the Premier League with Trip to Newly Promoted Ipswich

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot begins life in the Premier League with a trip to Kieran McKenna’s newly promoted Ipswich side on Saturday afternoon.

The Dutchman joined the Reds from Feyenoord earlier in the summer, and enjoyed a successful preseason before the club was surprised by a rejection from their top midfield target – Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.

Nevertheless, Slot will feel he has a squad capable of challenging for the league title – all he needs to do now is prove its credentials.

Meanwhile, Ipswich have attempted to make shrewd signings as they bid to ensure Premier League survival in their first season in the top flight since 2001/02, with McKenna’s decision to stay in charge providing an early boost at the start of the summer.

And both managers will back themselves to make an impact at either end of the table, with Saturday’s match an excellent opportunity to lay down a marker to their closest rivals.

When is Ipswich v Liverpool?

Ipswich v Liverpool kicks off at 12.30pm BST on Saturday, 17 August and takes place at Portman Road in Ipswich, England.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 11am. Subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream via the Discovery+ app and website.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Team news

New Ipswich signings Arijanet Muric, Ben Johnson and Liam Delap both started the Tractor Boys’ final preseason game last week, so they are all in line to start.

However, the trio of Nathan Broadhead, Harry Clarke and George Hirst are unavailable due to injury.

Arne Slot has no new injury concerns, and has welcomed back Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo after their extended breaks. Andy Robertson managed 60 minutes against Las Palmas on Sunday, so he may be fit enough to start at left-back after missing the tour of the US through injury.

Whether the Dutchman prefers Jarell Quansah to Ibrahima Konate at the back remains to be seen, while Diogo Jota could start upfront for the Reds as he did several times in preseason.

Predicted line-ups

Ipswich XI: Muric; Tuanzebe, Burgess, Edmundson; Johnson, Morsy, Luongo, Davis; Hutchinson, Delap, Harness.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.

Odds

Ipswich 13/2

Draw 7/2

Liverpool 1/4

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Prediction

It promises to be an entertaining game at Portman Road, with Ipswich looking to lay down a marker in McKenna’s first game in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Liverpool’s preseason performances under Slot, coupled with the underlying quality in their squad, suggest that the Reds should have enough to come away with an opening win. Ipswich 1-3 Liverpool.

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