Isak shines at last but Scherpen suffers - Ipswich v Liverpool player ratings

September 5, 2026 154news Acacia

Ipswich Town v Liverpool: BBC Sport Player Ratings

BBC Homepage | Skip to content | Accessibility Help | Your account

Home

News | Sport | Earth | Reel | Worklife | Travel | Culture | Future | Music | TV | Weather | Sounds

BBC Sport

  • Home
  • Football
  • Cricket
  • Formula 1
  • Rugby U
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • Cycling
  • Athletics
  • More
  • A-Z Sports (American Football, Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Disability Sport, Football, Formula 1, Gaelic Games, Golf, Gymnastics, Horse Racing, Mixed Martial Arts, Motorsport, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Snooker, Swimming, Tennis)

Quizzes | News Feeds | Help & FAQs

  • Premier League
    • Scores & Fixtures
    • Table
    • Follow Your Team
    • Transfers
    • Top Scorers
    • Gossip

Match Report: Liverpool 2-0 Ipswich Town

By Phil McNulty, Chief Football Writer at Portman Road

Published 8 hours ago

Alexander Isak's early double sets Liverpool on the way to their first Premier League win of the season – and a first for new manager Andoni Iraola at Ipswich Town.

Here's how I rated the players:

Ipswich Town:

  1. 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. 4/10

  2. 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. 5/10

  3. Issa Diop: Towering figure always willing to indulge in the physical changes but this was a tough night after those two early Liverpool goals. 6/10

  4. Jacob Greaves: Stern test against the inspired Cody Gakpo, showing the quality he will face in the Premier League. 5/10

  5. Leif Davis: Tested defensively but was always competitive. Lent weight to attacks and had a chance with a far post header. 6/10

  6. Sasa Lukic: Will bring experience to Ipswich Town but on this night Liverpool's midfield was too powerful. 5/10

  7. Exequiel Palacios: Tried to bring some composure to Ipswich Town's game but was fighting a losing battle. 6/10

  8. Abdul Fatawu: Pace but little end product. Energetic but erratic. 5/10

  9. 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. 7/10

  10. Daizen Maeda: Anonymous. Made no impact at all and no surprise when taken off. 5/10

  11. Emersonn: Battled hard but no luck against Van Dijk and Jacquet. 5/10

Subs:

  • Jack Clarke (on 66 Maeda): 5/10
  • Zian Flemming (on 66, Emersonn): Couple of bustling contributions. N/A
  • Kasey McAteer (on 79, Fatawu). N/A
  • Abdoul Outarra (on 78, Palacios). N/A

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

Liverpool:

  1. Alisson: Lucky to get away with misjudging a first-half corner. The occasional anxious moment but no harm done. 6/10

  2. Ronald Araujo: Strong in the air and on the ground on an impressive Premier League debut at right-back. Important interventions by being in the right place at the right time. 7/10

  3. Virgil van Dijk: Usual unruffled self in the face of some frantic Ipswich Town attacking. 7/10

  4. Jeremy Jacquet: Solid alongside Van Dijk. Continues to look a very fine acquisition. 6/10

  5. Milos Kerkez: Occasionally troubled by Fatawu's pace but never in huge difficulties. 6/10

  6. Dominik Szoboszlai: Driving runs from midfield and always willing to test the keeper. Iraola should never use him at right-back. 7/10

  7. Alexis Mac Allister: Still not quite at his best. Too many N/A