A slow start and a chance to finally get going

Two draws from two matches. It is not the start anybody connected with Liverpool had in mind for the 2026/27 campaign. A 2-2 stalemate with Newcastle United on the opening day was followed by another share of the spoils against Nottingham Forest at Anfield, leaving the Reds sitting 13th in the Premier League table and still waiting to find their stride. Friday evening's trip to Portman Road offers Andoni Iraola's side the opportunity to put that right.

Ipswich Town are hardly flying themselves. The Tractor Boys marked their return to the top flight with a 2-1 win over Sunderland AFC, but that momentum was brutally halted by a 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United just days later. They sit one place above Liverpool going into this fixture, which tells you everything about how the early weeks of the season have played out for both clubs. The gap in squad quality between the two sides should tell its own story come Friday night, though.

The injuries Iraola must manage heading to Suffolk

Liverpool's injury list remains a genuine concern, with Iraola set to be without at least five players for the trip to Portman Road. The most serious of those continues to be Hugo Ekitike, who suffered an Achilles tendon rupture in the Champions League earlier this year and is not expected to return until the end of 2026. Giovanni Leoni has similarly been absent since picking up an ACL injury on his debut twelve months ago, though Iraola offered a cautious update on the defender: "I think the plan is also to start training during the [international] break, with the group."

Conor Bradley remains sidelined following surgery on a serious knee injury sustained back in January, with December cited as the earliest realistic return date for the Northern Irishman. Joe Gomez is also unavailable due to a muscular injury, though Iraola struck a slightly more optimistic tone when speaking about the Englishman. "Closest one is Joe, he will start training with us next week and it has gone normally," the manager said. "The recovery from a muscle injury, more or less, we were expecting the time on this. I hope we can have him before the break, let's say." With both Bradley and Leoni also out, Liverpool's options at centre-half are looking particularly thin right now. Federico Chiesa rounds off the absentee list, the Italian forward ruled out of Friday's match with a lower back problem, though he is expected back before the month is out.

Ipswich also missing key men, but get a boost

Ipswich arrive at this fixture with their own selection headaches. Gary O'Neill has confirmed that Jaden Philogene, Jack Taylor and Azor Matusiwa will all sit out the clash. Philogene is working through an ankle injury and is not expected to feature for at least another week, while Taylor and Matusiwa are battling knee and thigh problems respectively on similar timelines.

There is some positive news for O'Neill, however. Both Florentino Luis and Emersonn were doubts heading into the fixture but have since been cleared for selection, giving Ipswich a small but welcome boost as they look to recover from last weekend's heavy defeat. For Liverpool, those three Ipswich absentees represent a genuine opportunity to impose themselves on a home side that is still finding its footing in the top flight.

Friday's 8pm kick-off at Portman Road could be the moment the Reds' season finally gets moving, and with the international break looming shortly afterwards, three points would be the perfect way to head into that pause.