Liverpool earned their first win of the season away to Ipswich Town on September 5.
Alexander Isak’s two goals produced the result, but both moves began with passes from Cody Gakpo.
It was a match that showed, in the shortest possible time, why Gakpo, who remained with the team after transfer rumors, is important in building attacks.
3-Line Summary
1. Liverpool beat Ipswich 2-0.
2. Isak’s two goals came within 9 minutes.
3. The value of Gakpo remaining was contained in his two assists.
The Goal Opened Up in the 6th and 9th Minutes Through the Same Combination
Liverpool beat Ipswich Town 2-0 in the 3rd round of the 2026-27 English Premier League season, held at Portman Road in Ipswich, England, on September 5. For Liverpool, who had drawn 2-2 consecutively with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest after the opening of the season, it was their first win in 3 matches.
The match was effectively settled early. In the 6th minute, Gakpo sent a pass into the space behind the defense, and Swedish forward Isak finished with a right-footed shot. 3 minutes later, Gakpo connected with Isak, who was making a run near the halfway line, with the outside of his right foot. Isak beat a defender and scored his second goal with his left foot.
Isak completed his multi-goal performance 8 minutes and 42 seconds after the start of the match. MoneyToday reported that this was the first time a Liverpool player had scored two goals within the opening 9 minutes of a Premier League match since Maxi Rodríguez against Fulham in May 2011. With these two goals, Isak recorded his 3rd league goal.
Isak was the scorer, but the key point of the match was that both goals began with Gakpo. The first pass was directed toward open space behind the opposing defense, while the second targeted the moment Isak began his run. Even though the scoring combination was the same, the different receiving positions and finishing feet make it difficult to view the attacks as simple repetition.
Gakpo’s Role That Remained After the Transfer Rumors
Reports emerged that Gakpo had attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City during the summer transfer window, but he started against Ipswich and recorded two assists. After the match, Virgil van Dijk said that Gakpo was “hugely important” to the team and would play an important role this season as well.
Manager Andoni Iraola also highly valued Gakpo’s ability to play all 3 positions in the forward line. This was not an announcement confirming his playing time going forward. However, against Ipswich, Gakpo received the ball on the flank, found Isak’s movement, and delivered two decisive passes.
The second assist in particular came near the halfway line. Gakpo sent a quick pass from a long distance toward Isak running behind the defensive line, and Isak finished after leaving the defender behind. Rather than accumulating chances through extended possession, Liverpool scored two goals by attacking the space behind the opposing defensive line before it could become organized.
The Contrast in the Attack Created by Barcola’s Debut
French wing forward Bradley Barcola also came on for Víctor Muñoz in the 19th minute of the second half, making his Liverpool debut. InterFootball reported that Barcola recorded a top speed of 35.9 km/h in 31 minutes of action, which at the time was the highest speed in the Premier League that season according to football statistics outlet FotMob.
Barcola was involved once in creating a shooting opportunity for Gakpo. However, it is not possible to judge his adaptation to the new team or his role within the attack based only on the speed record from this one match. The decisive moments against Ipswich were the two direct connections created by Isak and Gakpo, rather than the individual record of the new signing.
Liverpool’s first win was completed by Isak’s finishing. However, the fact that both goals came from Gakpo’s passes shows, regardless of the transfer-market rumors, where Liverpool’s most effective attacking route lay in this match.
References
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