One point separates Ipswich and Liverpool before tomorrow’s Portman Road meeting

Ipswich’s one-point advantage over Liverpool will be tested tomorrow when the sides meet at Portman Road at 19:00 UTC. The hosts sit 12th after two games, while Liverpool are 13th with two draws and a chance to change the early table picture immediately.

What's at stake

Ipswich have 3 points and Liverpool have 2, with Manchester City leading on 6. A Liverpool win would take Arne Slot’s side to 5 points and above Ipswich, while an Ipswich victory would move the hosts to 6 and keep them level with the leaders on points; a draw would preserve the current one-point gap.

The numbers

Ipswich have won their only home fixture, scoring 2 and conceding 1, but their overall record includes 6 goals conceded in 2 matches. Liverpool’s only away game ended in a 2-2 draw, and their overall record is 4 scored and 4 conceded after two rounds.

The recent-form lines point in different directions: Ipswich’s most recent results are a win and a loss, while Liverpool have drawn both of their matches. Neither side has kept a clean sheet in the relevant home or away record, adding an attacking edge to Friday’s fixture without dictating an outcome.

One to watch

C. Gakpo leads the scorer chart among these squads with 1 goal and 1 assist in 2 appearances. Ipswich also have two players on 1 goal each, C. Akpom and Emersonn, giving the hosts clear individual threats as Gakpo looks to influence Liverpool’s attack at Portman Road.

Why it matters

Ipswich will be without A. Matusiwa, J. Philogene and J. Taylor, with Florentino questionable, while Liverpool list B. Barcola, C. Bradley, F. Chiesa, H. Ekitike, J. Gomez and G. Leoni as unavailable. With referee D. England appointed, tomorrow’s result offers both clubs a chance to reshape a table separated by only 1 point before the season moves beyond Round 3.