Isak fires Liverpool to first win under Iraola at Ipswich

Alexander Isak needed only 10 minutes to make Liverpool's expensive investment look more convincing. The Swedish striker scored twice at Ipswich on Friday, giving Andoni Iraola his first win as Liverpool manager in a 2-0 victory.

Liverpool had opened Iraola's reign with entertaining 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. Those results offered little reassurance about the team's ability to challenge near the top of the table, but the win at Portman Road moved the Reds into fifth and kept their unbeaten start intact.

Isak, signed from Newcastle for a Premier League record £125 million ($169 million), has endured a difficult first season at Anfield, with fitness problems limiting his impact. He now has three goals in three matches this campaign. Both goals against Ipswich came after Cody Gakpo created the opening, although goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen should have done better with the first effort.

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We needed it. Definitely needed this one. Also the way it has been, I think, with a clean sheet

Gakpo picked out Isak on the edge of the area, but Scherpen parried the powerful shot into his own net. Moments later, Isak ran onto another Gakpo pass and finished at the near post after the goalkeeper had moved into no-man's land.

Isak nearly completed a hat trick when he turned in Florian Wirtz's cross at the back post, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Scherpen later made two good saves from Dominik Szoboszlai. Bradley Barcola, Liverpool's latest £100 million signing, entered just after the hour mark, replacing Isak, and made his Premier League debut.

Liverpool carried less attacking threat after the break, but Iraola welcomed the clean sheet following criticism of the team's defending in the opening weeks. “We needed it. Definitely needed this one. Also the way it has been, I think, with a clean sheet,” he said. Of Isak, he added: “He's a massive player for us.”

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He's a massive player for us