I love the job Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has done, with back-to-back promotions, and they have brought a few players in.

The way they start the season is going to be so important to get some confidence and a foothold in the top flight, as it is with all the promoted clubs, and Ipswich have got it tough because after facing Liverpool they go to the Etihad Stadium next weekend.

Liverpool have not signed anyone yet under new boss Arne Slot but their firepower is incredible and I don't see Ipswich keeping them out.

Ipswich were really brave with their playing style in the Championship but this is another step up, and it is a big one. I reckon they will score, but Liverpool will get more.

Prediction:1-3

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says the club are still looking to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes.

The Reds tried to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad but missed out after the Spain midfielder decided against the move.

It means Liverpool are the only Premier League side who have not made a major signing this summer, with the transfer window closing at 23:00 BST on Friday, 30 August.

"I've said many times already that our squad is really strong and it's not so easy to find players who can help us or even strengthen the squad," said Slot.

"Zubimendi was one of them to be fair, but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have. [Wataru] Endo did well in pre-season so we're in a good place.

"In the background, [sporting director] Richard [Hughes] is trying to strengthen the squad as he can but, unfortunately, Zubimendi decided not to come.

"He did every effort to bring him in but, if a player decides not to come, then it's obvious he's not coming."

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Portman Road

This is a huge day for Ipswich Town.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was 15-years-old when the club last played in the Premier League in 2001-02. The last time Portman Road staged a top flight game was 27 April 2002 - 8,148 days ago - when Manchester United won 1-0 thanks to Ruud van Nistelrooy's penalty.

"I was at that game and today definitely feels like a pinch yourself moment," Ipswich fan Richard Woodward tells me. "It feels like a dream after 22 years of misery."

Ipswich's squad is packed with players who were playing for the club in League One in 2022-23 so how will they do in the top tier?

"There are some fans thinking 12th or 10th is possible," adds Richard.

"I'm very much in the camp of any form of survival will do. If it takes three other teams to get points deductions...whatever it takes to stay in the Premier League."

Ipswich will be hoping to pull off a shock result today by beating Liverpool.

Check out some opening day upsets from the past in the video above.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Portman Road

Above is George who I spotted wandering outside Portman Road in full Liverpool kit with his parents.

There is a reason he is dressed top to toe in red. George, 11, is one of the mascot's and will be walking out with Virgil van Dijk later.

"We've got to give him a chance," says George on Liverpool's new era under Arne Slot. "We've beaten both Manchester United and Arsenal in pre-season so I'm very excited."

And what about a prediction for today?

"Three-nil to Liverpool! Mo Salah to get two and Diogo Jota to score the other."

BBC Radio 5 Live

On BBC Radio 5 live from 12:00 BST, Steve Crossman builds up to the day's football action plus updates of Ipswich Town v Liverpool in the Premier League.

Later there's full match commentary on Arsenal v Wolves and West Ham v Aston Villa.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Portman Road

Ipswich Town include three players who joined in the summer. Omari Hutchinson, who turned a loan into a permanent move, and Liam Delap feature from the start along with defender Jacob Greaves.

Sammie Szmodics and Kalvin Phillips - the most recent of their eight new additions - are both on the bench.

Ipswich Town XI: Walton, Burns, Woolfenden, Greaves, Tuanzebe, Davis, Morsy, Luongo, Chaplin, Hutchinson, Delap.

Substitutes: Slicker, Phillips, Harness, Taylor, Burgess, Al-Hamadi, Johnson, Townsend, Szmodics.

The Arne Slot era at Liverpool starts with eight players who started Jugen Klopp's final Premier League game in charge on 19 May.

Diogo Jota starts but there is no place in the starting XI for Harvey Elliott or Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota, Diaz.

Substitutes: Kelleher, Endo, Konate, Nunez, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Bradley

Alan Shearer
Former England striker

Liverpool finished third last time and I don't see them dropping out of the Champions League places now Arne Slot is in charge.

Jurgen Klopp is an incredibly tough act to follow but they still have stacks of quality in their squad, and plenty of options in forward positions. They have not signed anyone yet this summer but I'd be amazed if that is still the case come the end of this month.

We will have to wait and see how Slot gets them playing, and at what tempo, and also what happens to some of their established stars.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all now into the last year of their contracts and, while Trent is only 25, Van Dijk is 33 and Salah is 32.

I guess we will find out soon if their future is at Anfield, or not.

It is the same old Premier League for Liverpool but the start of a new era for the club - the Arne Slot era.

Reds fans will be hoping it will be a pretty smooth transition from Jurgen Klopp's hugely successful time at the club.

Image source, Getty Images

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Portman Road

A busy week for singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.

Thursday: Appears on stage with Taylor Swift at Wembley after acquiring a minority stake in his beloved Ipswich Town.

Today: The life-long Ipswich fan is at Portman Road for his team's first Premier League match for 22 years before flying to Serbia for a concert later.

By the way, Sheeran's face is plastered around the perimeter of Portman Road - as well as the front page of the local newspaper.

Read more: Sheeran acquires minority stake in Ipswich Town.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Musician and big Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran is at Portman Road.

I'm predicting at least 30 mentions and TV cutaways to him during the game this afternoon.

Here's the full line-up:

12:30 BST:

Ipswich v Liverpool

15:00 BST:

Arsenal v Wolves

Everton v Brighton

Newcastle v Southampton

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth

17:30 BST:

West Ham v Aston Villa

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Portman Road

It's about a five minute walk from Ipswich train station to Portman Road. The moment you step off the train there is a 'Welcome to Ipswich' sign with the club badge.

Walk out of the station's main entrance, over the bridge and you can see the floodlights in front of you.

Portman Road was a hive of activity when I walked around the outside of the ground late yesterday afternoon, with joiners, painters and electricians hard at work ready for the big kick-off.

Millions of pounds has been spent on adding seats, sorting floodlights, expanding media facilities, while work has been carried out around the players' tunnel.

More than 40 camera positions have also been created around the ground. A full house of up to 29,000 - including more than 20,000 season ticket holders and 3,000 Liverpool fans - will be inside by kick-off.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Hello!

Yes Premier League football has returned. Well, it officially came back last night as Manchester United beat Fulham at Old Trafford, but today we have a packed schedule of opening weekend action with six games taking place.

It all begins with Ipswich versus Liverpool at 12:30 BST, with the Tractor Boys playing top flight football for the first time since 2002.

Drink it up, Ipswich fans!

The Premier League is back!

For some, it will have felt like it has barely been away.

For others, the wait has lasted 22 years...

Image source, Getty Images