Ipswich Town

We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Ipswich Town and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Ipswich fans

Philip: Absolutely terrible start and never really recovered after that. The defence will cost us games, and the midfield needs to be ready for the battle every single week. Never really laid a glove on Liverpool, to be honest.

Rob: We played well after a poor start. I am not sure that our new goalkeeper is an improvement on Christian Walton.

Mel: We lost the ball too easily and didn't manage to dispossess them hardly at all. So many bad passes. Apart from Enciso, Fatawu and Davis, some expensive players still need to get their acts together. Not sure our new goalkeeper is better than Walton. But, on a positive note, they are slowly getting better and I can see us getting some good results this season and staying up.

Joseph: Two years ago we would have rolled over and conceded five or six. Fair play to this Ipswich side for trying. The cutting edge will come with time, we hope!

Liverpool fans

John: The system showed signs of coming together perfectly. The threat of Bradley Barcola on the bench seems to have fired up Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak to wake up. Defence still looks a bit unsteady, especially at right-back.

Ian: So important to get the win. Lots of positives. Jacquet played his first 90 mins. Two goals for Isak. Araujo tidy at right-back. Gakpo's attitude and performance were impeccable. Onwards and upwards.

John Y: Much better first half. Struggled to control the game in the last 20 mins by conceding possession far too easily. Isak and Gakpo worked well together. Funny game, football. Gakpo could easily have been at Manchester City rather than providing two assists for us this evening.

Arshad: Our £125m striker has finally arrived. Gakpo was immense and I'm sure every Liverpool fan is thankful we didn't sell him. Unfortunately, Wirtz is still looking lightweight, hopefully he'll turn it around. Overall, a much better performance and finally a clean sheet.

Ipswich Town starting XI:

Kjell Scherpen: Desperately poor for Alexander Isak's early goal. Weak and meant Ipswich got off to the worst possible start. A couple of decent saves but the damage was done. 4

Dara O'Shea: Led from the front as always but Ipswich's defence struggled against the movement of Isak and the creation of Gakpo. He had a hard time. 5

Issa Diop: Towering figure always willing to indulge in the physical changes but this was a tough night after those two early Liverpool goals. 6

Jacob Greaves: Stern test against the inspired Cody Gakpo, showing the quality he will face in the Premier League. 5

Leif Davis: Tested defensively but was always competitive. Lent weight to attacks and had a chance with a far post header. 6

Sasa Lukic: Will bring experience to Ipswich Town but on this night Liverpool's midfield was too powerful. 5

Exequiel Palacios: Tried to bring some composure to Ipswich Town's game but was fighting a losing battle. 6

Abdul Fatawu: Pace but little end product. Energetic but erratic. 5

Julio Enciso: Ipswich's main threat. Tireless. Might have done more with the final ball but never gave up even when odds were against him. 7

Daizen Maeda: Anonymous. Made no impact at all and no surprise when taken off. 5

Emersonn: Battled hard but no luck against Van Dijk and Jacquet. 5

Ipswich Town substitutes:

Jack Clarke (on 66, Maeda): Introduced when the game was lost. 5

Zian Flemming (on 66, Emersonn): Couple of bustling contributions. 5

Kasey McAteer (on 79, Fatawu).

Abdoul Outarra (on 78, Palacios).

Subs not used: Walton, Furlong, Kipre, Florentino, Nunez

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

Keifer MacDonald
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Reuters

Gary O'Neil was fully aware of the difficulty of the task at hand before kick-off as he reeled off Liverpool's array of attacking talent.

The Ipswich manager will be disappointed with how easily his side conceded the opening goal, with Kjell Scherpen beaten too easily at his near post.

But there were plenty of positives for O'Neil to take from his side's performance against top Premier League opposition for the second weekend running.

There were encouraging flashes from Ipswich's attackers, particularly Julio Enciso and Jack Clarke after he came off the bench in the second half.

But it was not enough for Ipswich to earn their first Premier League victory in 28 matches when trailing by two goals or more at half-time.

It goes without saying that their Premier League fate will not be decided by defeats against Manchester United and Liverpool in the space of five days.

O'Neil's side have plenty of fight and quality, and look well-equipped for the survival battle this time around.

Ipswich Town manager Gary O'Neil speaking to Sky Sports: "Proud of the group. I thought we were excellent. Two mistakes in the first 10 minutes made it very difficult, but I think we were probably the better side for large parts after that. More shots and some really good chances.

"Obviously, the mistakes were big; we were punished heavily by world-class players, but then an excellent response and we gave it our best, which the fans appreciated, as you could see from their reaction at the end, but we are here for points, so next week we have to make sure we take some.

"There were no issues out there for us tactically. Similar to Manchester United, but at Manchester United we lost our way and moved away from the game plan, but today the lads were able to get straight back down to business.

"Second half especially, I thought we were excellent with the ball and cut through them many times. We didn't quite find that moment of quality to get us back in it, but of course this is one of the most extreme tests, and we came up a little short in terms of points. But in terms of what I asked for the players, I thought they were very, very good."

Listen to more from O'Neil on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Ipswich have already conceded eight goals in the Premier League this season, their most after three games of a league campaign since 1964-65 (eight in the second tier).

• Ipswich are on their longest ever top-flight run without a clean sheet (22 matches). Meanwhile, manager Gary O'Neil has only seen his side keep one clean sheet across his last 31 Premier League games (Wolves 2-0 Southampton in November 2024).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Ipswich's performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies.

Image source, Getty Images

New Ipswich signing Zian Flemming says he is feeling "joy and excitement" to experience the Premier League again with Ipswich Town.

Flemming could make his debut for the Tractor Boys in Friday night's visit of Liverpool after his £20m move from Burnley on deadline day.

The 28-year-old striker scored 11 league goals for the Clarets last season, but could not help them avoid relegation in what has been his only English top-flight campaign so far.

"For me it's just pure excitement I would say," Flemming told media on Thursday.

"This move for me to go back to the Premier League - I'm happy with that.

"When the move was getting closer and I really looked at the schedule and realised we were playing Liverpool on Friday I thought, 'yeah, I'm really back in the Prem!'.

"That's what you want, to play against the best teams and best players. That's what gave me so much joy and excitement last year, to be able to measure yourself against the very best and have them push you to the next level. I can't wait to do that again and experience that again.

"I just get a sensation of excitement for challenges. Whether it's a personal or a team challenge it brings something to life inside of me to take it on. Last season I managed to come out on top of the personal challenge to become a Premier League player but lost out on the team challenge and stay in the league.

"I'd like to be at the bottom of the mountain and look up and wonder what it is like at the top. Then, get my head down and see how far I can get and see whether I can reach the top."

Hit play below to hear Flemming in full on listen on BBC Sounds here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Friday's Premier League match (20:00 BST), with Liverpool heading to Suffolk in search of a first win under Andoni Iraola.

Will spending spree pay off for Ipswich?

Ipswich announced their 14th and final signing of the transfer window on deadline day, with striker Zian Flemming joining from Burnley. The Dutchman's arrival completed an unprecedented recruitment drive for the Blues, who have spent approximately £186m strengthening their squad.

That surpasses the record for a newly promoted Premier League club in a single window, set by Sunderland last year, and also exceeds the summer outlay of European giants such as Barcelona and Paris St-Germain.

Chairman Mark Ashton revealed last month that the club's US owners had instructed him to "go right to the limit of financial fair play". They are gambling that greater investment, coupled with a shift towards signing primarily overseas players, will help Town bridge the gulf in quality.

Ipswich's spending has focused mainly on midfield and attacking reinforcements. Although former Fulham centre-back Issa Diop has come into the side, three of the back four who started this season's opening two league games were also first-choice when the Tractor Boys were relegated in 2024-25 and defence may be an area of weakness.

That was certainly the case in last weekend's 5-2 defeat at Manchester United. After a competitive first half, Ipswich lost their way shortly after the restart, conceding twice in the space of three minutes. Gary O'Neil admitted his side lacked "emotional discipline" after United's second goal was allowed to stand despite Harry Maguire handling the ball in the build-up.

Greater composure will be needed against opponents who usually dominate this fixture. The Tractor Boys have lost their last four league games against Liverpool, conceding 17 times and scoring just once, while it is 40 years since their last home victory over the Merseysiders.

Barcola set for Liverpool bow

Liverpool came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, just as they did at Newcastle on the opening weekend. New boss Andoni Iraola, who failed to win any of his first nine Premier League matches as Bournemouth head coach, will hope it is third time lucky at Portman Road.

The Spaniard said this week he was happy with his side's summer transfer business. The Reds' net spend was approximately £200m, the highest in the top flight, although the decision not to strengthen at full-back has come under scrutiny.

More than half of the outlay went on former Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, who is available to make his Premier League debut. The 23-year-old did not come cheap, having joined for a fee of £107m that could rise to £123m, but has a combination of attributes that would appeal to any club seeking an elite goalscoring wide player.

Barcola's best season to date came in 2024-25, when he scored or assisted 39 goals, the ninth-highest total by any player in Europe's top five leagues. While that figure fell to 21 last season, many of his underlying metrics remained impressive.

Used primarily on the left flank, Barcola utilised his dribbling ability and pace to create shooting opportunities for himself. He was the only player in Europe's top five leagues to average more than two shot-ending carries per 90 minutes, defined as shots taken after carrying the ball for at least five metres.

He also ranked highly for receiving the ball in dangerous areas, averaging nearly nine touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes. That placed him seventh among more than 1,500 eligible players, on a list headed by Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.

My daughter's old maths teacher, Mr Fields, is an Ipswich fan and he is very excited about how ambitious the club has been since getting promoted. I think all their supporters must be the same.

Ipswich have spent almost £200m on a stack of new signings to try to stay in the Premier League and, watching them, it is clear they are not just planning to park the bus.

They will be confident for this game after beating Sunderland at home on the opening weekend and I am expecting them to have a real go at Liverpool too.

It will be interesting to see if new signing Bradley Barcola starts for the Reds, who seem to have a lot of attacking players who like to play off the left.

Boss Andoni Iraola has plenty of attacking options, but I still have concerns about them defensively, while his players adjust to his front-foot pressing style.

I am sure he will get it right eventually, but at the moment they are leaking goals and creaking at the back.

My gut feeling is Ipswich will score, but Liverpool will still edge the win after two successive 2-2 draws. If their attack clicks, it will be hard to keep them out.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Ipswich Town's summer transfer business and whether you think they have done enough to retain their Premier League status.

Here are some of your comments:

Phil: Not sure you could ask much more of the club in terms of ambition and spending levels. This feels like a very different approach to two years ago and now it's all about getting this group to gel and hoping the players deliver. The early signs are positive so fingers crossed!

Sam: Incredible window. I never thought I'd see a transfer window like this in my lifetime. Especially considering where we were a few years ago to now, bringing in the likes of Exequiel Palacios. Overall, 9.5/10 topped only by one more greedy addition of a left-back or centre-back signing for resilience and competition for Leif Davis. COYB. Hope they stick together come what may in the weeks to come and get the job done.

Tim: This has been a stunning window. A Premier League record for a newly promoted side and nothing like Ipswich have seen before. From all corners of the globe and plenty of Premier League experience. Beyond the quantity it is definitely about the quality, and the recruitment team have done incredibly well to sign so much talent. This is a very exciting squad. Hold on to your hats!

Shaun: Overall, it's been a brilliant transfer window and we are now better equipped to stay up than two years ago. We have got a very good blend of exciting players and also some with Premier League experience. I would have liked another left centre-back but that's being greedy.

MC: I think all our signings have been incredible! Being able to re-sign Julio Enciso is a huge gain for our squad and to have bagged a World Cup champion is crazy. I think they will play a big part in our team this season.

We have definitely spent more than I thought we would, but I genuinely believe Gary O'Neil has the right intentions for us to stay up and our team is so much stronger this time round as we've got players with more Premier League experience, which is why I think we struggled last time.

Image source, Getty Images

Legendary former Ipswich midfielder John Wark says the Tractor Boys can "learn" and "improve and do better" after Sunday's chastening 5-2 defeat against Manchester United.

Gary O'Neil's side took the lead and were well in the game into the second half, but conceded three goals in 12 minutes to completely lose control of the match.

However, O'Neil empahsised the positives, especially after the opening day win over Sunderland.

"You've just got to learn from it and let's hope they can improve and do better in the bigger games," Wark told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"With spending, money-wise they have done enough but you don't know how good the players are going to be yet. They have spent loads of money but I just hope they all come together and it works for us."

Friday night's home game against Liverpool could see a debut handed to new striker signing Zian Flemming, who was signed for £20m from Burnley this week.

The 28-year-old scored 11 times last season in the Premier League for the Clarets, who were relegated. He has netted three in the first four games of the Championship campaign.

"He comes over as if he's got goals in him and a good attitude," Wark added.

"Hopefully he will come in and do the business."

Listen to the full chat with Wark below or on BBC Sounds.

Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Liverpool at Portman Road (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• O'Neil confirmed summer signing Emersonn is "fine" after landing awkwardly and jarring his knee at Old Trafford, while Jaden Philogene is "close" to a return.

• He added he has "no fresh injury concerns", but Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor remain unavailable.

• Reflecting on the first two league games, O'Neil said: "Lots of positives to take from it. The transition at the football club, the amount of players we've signed, a new coach, the amount of work that's gone in - for the team to have recorded a win against Sunderland and looked as organised as they did for 55 minutes against Manchester United is positive. It can normally take a while to gel but the lads have shown a good understanding."

• On signing striker Zian Flemming from Burnley late on transfer deadline day: "It's an important one. Emersonn and Chuba Akpom have been excellent, but we had to get a third striker. He has scored Premier League goals in a newly-promoted side before. He brings quality, physicality, so is an excellent addition and brings extra competition for places. He is a good lad, he leads well from the front, trains hard. It is important to recruit the right type of person."

• O'Neil said the mood is good in his squad before the visit of the Reds: "It will be a test for us. They could easily have taken the full six points so far. They will be fired up. But, we have belief, we're ready to go again. We've reset, had a great week training, and we are ready. There is a fantastic energy in the group We can perform in a way that always gives us a real chance. I fully expect us to leave the stadium tomorrow night with more points than when we started."

• On summer signing Abdul Fatwa's impact so far: "Really pleased with him. I'm still looking to help him improve a lot. Enthusiastic, great kid, works unbelievably hard. He has big moments that can change games. I want to help him with his all-round stuff as I think there are still big gains for him. He is a top talent, we love him and he has brought a great energy to the group. The ceiling is high for him."

Listen to O'Neil speak to the media above or on BBC Sounds here

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Ipswich? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Steve Sutcliffe, Emlyn Begley and Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalists

Premier League clubs have broke their all-time summer transfer record with spending reaching £3.49bn.

A total of £506.5m was spent on deadline day itself, up from £391m last year.

The total amount spent during the window considerably dwarfs the £1.13bn spent by clubs just five years ago and underlines the power top English clubs have to attract talent, according to figures provided to BBC Sport by Paul Macdonald, founder of FootballTransfers.com.

Three of the 10 most expensive signings in the history of football have happened this summer – with all of them being Premier League signings. In fact, this summer window featured four of the top flight's five most expensive ever deals.

So maybe it is not surprising then that of the 20 most expensive transfers completed, only six were not to clubs in the English top flight.

Indeed, newly-promoted Ipswich have spent more on new signings than the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and reigning European champions PSG.

Premier League clubs as a whole were willing to dip deep into their pockets this summer, as 11 of the 20 clubs broke their transfer records, six of them on more than one occasion.

Coventry, promoted to the Premier League alongside Ipswich and Hull, have done so four times over.

Read more on the Premier League's record-breaking transfer spending

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town, Hull City and Coventry City have all invested significantly this summer in their respective bids to retain their Premier League status.

The three clubs have spent a combined total of about £400m, with Ipswich breaking Sunderland's £160m record for the most money spent by a newly promoted club in the Premier League by £11m.

In total, Ipswich have signed 14 players, including Chuba Akpom and Cedric Kipre, whose deals became permanent upon promotion to the Premier League.

Their total expenditure of £171m means Town spent more on new signings than the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and back-to-back European champions Paris St-Germain.

In their bid to avoid an immediate return to the Championship, head coach Gary O'Neil has turned to players who already have Premier League and European experience like Julio Enciso, Issa Diop and Zian Flemming.

Ipswich, like Coventry and Hull, broke their transfer record fee four times in this window alone, with Brazilian striker Emersonn now holding the club record after signing for an initial fee of £24m from Toulouse.

But breaking club records was common across the Premier League, with 11 of the 20 clubs doing so this summer - six of them on more than one occasion.

Indeed, Premier League clubs have broken their all-time summer transfer record after spending reached £3.46bn combined.

Ipswich had a relatively quiet transfer deadline day, with Dutch forward Flemming the 12th and final arrival of the window at Portman Road for £20m.

There were, however, several outgoings on Tuesday, and over the course of the summer.

The permanent departures of Wes Burns and George Hirst - among others - are representative of the size of the reset that was taking place in preparation for this 2026-27 campaign.

In total, Town made about £16m from player sales, taking their net spend to £155m, with only Liverpool and Tottenham having a higher one.

Their strategy for the summer transfer window has mirrored that of Sunderland's last season. Town have spent big and strengthened in all positions with no marquee signing.

The parachute payment from their previous spell in the top flight will have aided their ability to sign in this window, but the profiles of who they have attracted is all down to O'Neil and the wider recruitment team.

What do you make of Ipswich's summer transfer business? Do you think they've done enough to be in with a chance of Premier League survival?

Get in touch with your views here

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League can be brutal. At Old Trafford on Sunday, Ipswich Town came close to doubling their deserved lead at Manchester United.

An hour later, they had conceded five goals, including a controversial and perhaps decisive second.

Gary O'Neil was spot on in saying his side didn't park the bus, gave it a go and had some great moments. He was also correct in identifying that his team's emotional discipline must improve.

Dealing with setbacks was something Town struggled with last time out in the top flight, and there were too many capitulations in games where the Blues looked to be in the ascendancy.

While it is very early on in the season, the Ipswich players and staff should be quick to remind each other they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves in the heat of battle.

It is Liverpool up next under the lights at Portman Road on Friday and home support can play a massive part in proceedings.

Deadline day arrival Zian Flemming will be hoping he can too, having started the season well at former club Burnley. His 11 Premier League goals last term is a positive stat that can hopefully be improved on with the help of good service from the likes of fellow new arrivals Julio Enciso and Abdul Fatawu, who have both settled in nicely.

But Friday is likely to rest on how well Town pick their moments to go forward, as a collective, while defending against an attack that could well boast three players who each cost nine-figure sums.

We may see a full debut for World Cup-winning midfielder Exequiel Palacios, who will no doubt relish going up against fellow Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister and former Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Florian Wirtz.

While Town have had joy at Anfield this century, it is more than 40 years since they last beat the Reds at Portman Road. But if they produce an opening 40 minutes like they did at Old Trafford and don't let up, they have a chance.

Join Graeme Mac for The Matchday Preview every Friday from 18:00 and subscribe to the Ipswich Town page on BBC Sounds - plus, listen to BBC Radio Suffolk for full commentary of every Tractor Boys game.

Image source, Getty Images

Zian Flemming says he is "excited to get started" at Ipswich Town after making the switch from Burnley on a four-year deal.

The 28-year-old forward, who is Town's 12th signing of the summer, will wear the number nine shirt.

"I am really proud to sign for Ipswich Town," Flemming said. "I played in the Premier League last season and really enjoyed my first season at the top level, competing against the best players and teams in the world, so I am delighted to now be back in there with a great club like Ipswich.

"I will give my all every time I step onto the pitch and can't wait to meet the supporters. The first game is on Friday against Liverpool, which is very soon, and I am excited to get started."

Ipswich Town manager, Gary O'Neil added: "Zian is a player who had an impressive first season in the Premier League and we are very pleased to have brought him to the club.

"He has good quality and experience and has started the new season well, so is a great addition to the group as we strengthen the squad further."

Ipswich Town have done the following business on transfer deadline day:

• League One Huddersfield have re-signed midfielder Cameron Humphreys from Ipswich on loan until the end of the season.

• Luton Town have signed Ipswich Town midfielder Tudor Mendel on loan until January.

• Championship side Lincoln City have signed Town winger Chieo Ogbene on loan.

• Ipswich have signed forward Zian Flemming from Burnley for a reported fee of £20m.

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Follow all the transfer deadline day news in our live text

What do you think of Town's business in the transfer window? Let us know here

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Winger Jaden Philogene is due to stay at Ipswich.

Bologna, Roma and Benfica were among several clubs who held an interest in the 24-year-old, who helped Ipswich to promotion from the Championship last season, scoring 12 league goals.

But no move has progressed and he is expected to be involved in Gary O'Neil's squad going forward, although Philogene had his pre-season interrupted by a hamstring injury and is yet to play in the Tractor Boys' opening three games.

Despite a possible transfer Philogene returned for pre-season focused and impressed those at Portman Road with his attitude.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tammy Abraham will stay at Aston Villa after rejecting a loan move to Ipswich Town.

The striker has decided to fight for his place at Villa Park after the arrival of Nicolas Jackson for £65m.

Abraham scored three goals in 19 appearances last season after joining from Besiktas for £18.25m in January.

Villa were open to letting him leave but, as BBC Sport reported in July, the 28-year-old is happy at Villa Park despite Ipswich pursuing a loan move last week.

Boss Unai Emery said: "Now we have one striker, Jackson, and we are very happy with him. We have Brian Madjo, but he is injured, and Tammy Abraham's decision is to stay here.

"We opened the door for him but he's decided to stay here with us. I am going to be very demanding with him to add his qualities with us.

"Tammy is coming back to the Premier League. I spoke with him. He needs time but he needs to do it as soon as possible to adapt to the Premier League. He didn't perform like we wanted last year."

Abraham had previously played for Villa on loan from Chelsea, scoring 25 goals to help them return to the Premier League, in 2018-19.

He left Chelsea for Roma in 2021 and also played for AC Milan on loan in 2024-25, before six months at Besiktas in Turkey - scoring 12 goals in 24 appearances - ahead of his return to Villa earlier this year.

Tuesday is the final chance of the summer for your Premier League team to do transfer business.

The window closes at 23:00 BST, so teams - and fans - could be in for a late-night transfer scramble.

It has already been a busy window, but whether it turns out to be a day of transfer action or a pretty quiet one for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

Follow our live text coverage throughout the day here

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