LIVERPOOL: Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool took another step toward the Premier League title with a 4-1 demolition of Ipswich at Anfield on Saturday.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were also on target in a dominant performance from the Reds, who remain six points clear of Arsenal having played a game less.
Just a second league title in 35 years and a 20th overall to match Manchester United’s English record now seems just a matter of time in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
The Dutchman was able to make five changes from Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Lille that also secured direct passage to the last 16 of the Champions League in a sparkling season for the six-time European champions.
By contrast, Ipswich are finding the step up to the Premier League a bridge too far after back-to-back promotions.
Kieran McKenna’s men were thrashed 6-0 at home by Manchester City last weekend and could easily have suffered the same margin or more on their first trip to Anfield since 2002.
Slot has been keen for Szoboszlai to up his scoring contribution from midfield and the Hungarian led the way with a fine low strike for his fourth goal of the campaign after just 11 minutes.
Salah had been made to wait to usurp Thierry Henry as the Premier League’s seventh highest goalscorer of all time after blanking away at Nottingham Forest and Brentford.
The Egyptian made sure normal service was resumed by firing in high from Gakpo’s cross for his 176th Premier League goal and 19th of the season to move two clear of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak in the race for the golden boot.
Szoboszlai’s forward runs were a constant threat for the Ipswich defense and the source of the third goal as Gakpo turned home the rebound after Christian Walton saved the midfielder’s initial effort.
Liverpool unsurprisingly eased off in the second half amid a gruelling schedule as they remain in the hunt for four competitions.
Gakpo headed in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross for his 14th goal of the season.
Ipswich did at least get a consolation in the final minute when Jacob Greaves headed in from Julio Enciso’s corner.
However, the real test of their survival hopes comes next weekend when bottom-of-the-table Southampton visit Portman Road in a must-win clash for the Tractor Boys.
Ipswich remain in the relegation zone but only on goal difference behind Wolves, who blew a man advantage for half an hour of their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Gakpo double helps Liverpool thrash struggling Ipswich
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Gakpo double helps Liverpool thrash struggling Ipswich
- Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were also on target in a dominant performance
- By contrast, Ipswich are finding the step up to the Premier League a bridge too far after back-to-back promotions
Australia’s Green becomes IPL’s most expensive overseas player
- Kolkata Knight Riders sign Cameron Green for $2.77 million at player auction for 2026 season
- Aussie cricketer is set to play in the third Ashes test against England starting on Wednesday
Australia all-rounder Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in the Indian Premier League (IPL), after Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for 252 million Indian rupees ($2.77 million) at the player auction for the 2026 season in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Green, who was initially registered as a batsman due to an error, was the subject of intense bidding between Kolkata and Chennai Super Kings before being purchased by the three-times champions.
The 26-year-old is the third most expensive player in IPL history, after India’s Rishabh Pant (270 million Indian rupees) and Shreyas Iyer (267.5 million). “We are very happy. This is something that we were really focused on... I think he adds a lot to our team,” Kolkata CEO Venky Mysore said.
Australian Mitchell Starc, the previous most expensive foreign player in the competition, attracted a bid of 247.5 million Indian rupees in 2024 from Kolkata, who have made three of the five most expensive buys in IPL history.
Green, who missed the IPL this year as he was recovering from back surgery, is set to play in the third Ashes test against England starting on Wednesday.
Kolkata also spent big on Sri Lankan seamer Matheesha Pathirana and Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman.
Five-time champions Chennai splurged 142 million Indian rupees each on wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma, who has hit 16 sixes in this season’s Ranji Trophy, and all-rounder Prashant Veer, making them the most expensive uncapped signings in IPL history.
Delhi Capitals bought England batter Ben Duckett and South Africa’s David Miller for 20 million Indian rupees each.
The 19th edition of the IPL begins on March 26, after India co-hosts the Twenty20 World Cup starting in February.
