Arne Slot has a chance to do what a lot of his predecessors couldn’t: win their opening league sport. His probability comes on the highway towards newly-promoted Ipswich.
Slot may turn out to be the primary Liverpool supervisor to win his opening league sport since Graeme Souness in April 1991. One other East Anglian crew, Norwich, was crushed that day, 3-0 at Anfield.
Since then, Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier (sole cost), Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish, Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp all did not open with a victory.
Slot’s first sport as Liverpool supervisor shall be, simply because it was for his predecessor Klopp, a Saturday lunchtime kick-off. In October 2015, Klopp’s Reds performed out a goalless draw at Tottenham.
On the age of 45 years and 258 days, Slot is the tenth oldest everlasting managerial appointment by the membership. By comparability, Klopp was 48 and Invoice Shankly 46.
Salah a banker on the primary day?
Mo Salah is in line to make his 350th Liverpool look in all video games. He has scored 211 objectives in that point. He has by no means confronted Ipswich earlier than in a Reds shirt.
Since becoming a member of Liverpool Salah has scored in six of Liverpool’s seven opening day fixtures, solely lacking out final season at Chelsea.
Salah’s tally of seven opening day objectives is a joint Premier League file, alongside Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard.
A 22-year wait is over
Within the Premier League period, the groups have met 10 occasions within the prime flight, with Liverpool profitable 5, with three attracts and two defeats.
Liverpool are unbeaten at Portman Street within the Premier League, profitable three and drawing two of the 5 encounters.
The final league conferences got here within the 2001/02 season, with Liverpool profitable each by an combination rating of 11-0.
The go to right here noticed them win 6-0 to file their joint-biggest-ever win over Ipswich and by their largest-ever margin at Portman Street.
Opening day pleasure
Liverpool are undefeated on the opening day within the final 11 seasons (eight wins, three attracts) since a 3-0 defeat at West Brom within the first sport of the Brendan Rodgers regime in 2012.
They’ve scored no less than twice in seven of the final eight opening day outings.
This would be the fifth season within the final six that the Reds have confronted a newly promoted crew within the marketing campaign’s first league fixture. Final season’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea was the exception.
The person within the center
Tim Robinson is the referee for the opener. This would be the twenty fifth Premier League sport of his profession.
He’s but to concern a crimson card. Liverpool have gained all three matches when Robinson has been in cost, all three final season – one within the League and two within the League Cup.
Hosts sturdy at residence
The Tractor Boys return to the Premier League for the primary time in 22 seasons.
That is their sixth season within the Premier League, with a greatest end of fifth in 2000/01. They’ve registered a complete of 224 factors in that point at a median of simply wanting 45 per season.
Ipswich, with 92, scored extra objectives within the Championship final season than some other crew.
They misplaced solely as soon as at residence within the league final season – every week wanting a 12 months in the past – taking place 4-3 to Leeds United.
Kieran McKenna was assistant supervisor at Manchester United below Jose Mourinho and remained within the job below Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
