Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes at Portman Road to give Andoni Iraola his first competitive victory as Liverpool head coach. Both goals came from Cody Gakpo passes, establishing a 2–0 advantage that Ipswich Town were unable to overturn.
After falling behind twice in each of their opening two matches, Liverpool took control before this one had properly settled. They could have added to the score before half-time, but their early finishing was enough to secure three points and the first clean sheet of Iraola's tenure.
The result moved Liverpool to five points from three Premier League fixtures. It also provided a winning setting for Bradley Barcola's debut, the forward appearing from the bench in the second half after his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain.
Iraola made one change to the side that had drawn with Nottingham Forest. Ronald Araújo replaced Jeremie Frimpong for his first Liverpool start, joining Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez in defence. Gakpo continued in the attacking line alongside Isak, Florian Wirtz and Víctor Muñoz.
Liverpool moved the ball quickly from the outset. In the sixth minute Gakpo found Isak with a firm pass infield, and the striker controlled before driving a shot towards the near post. Kjell Scherpen got a hand to it but could not stop the ball going in.
Their second goal, three minutes later, came from a different delivery by the same provider. Gakpo used the outside of his boot to find Isak running into the area. The forward adjusted his feet and sent a low left-footed finish past Scherpen, leaving the promoted hosts with an immediate two-goal deficit.
The partnership had already produced Liverpool's first equaliser against Forest. Here it settled the decisive part of the match before Ipswich had established any sustained pressure. Isak now had three league goals in three appearances, all supplied by Gakpo.
Dominik Szoboszlai tested Scherpen twice as Liverpool continued to win the ball high up the pitch. Isak then thought he had completed a first-half hat-trick after finishing from Wirtz's pass, but he had moved too early and the flag went up for offside.
Ipswich improved after their difficult opening. Leif Davis headed wide, while Araújo was required to intervene at the far post during another attack. Liverpool's lead remained intact at the interval, although the home side had begun to make the contest less one-sided.
Mac Allister missed a headed chance from a corner early in the second half. There was also a contentious challenge involving Jacquet and Emersonn, with Ipswich appealing unsuccessfully for a foul. Liverpool later thought they might have a penalty when Szoboszlai went down after reaching Araújo's pass, but the review identified an earlier offside and no spot-kick was awarded.
Barcola came on with Ryan Gravenberch in the 64th minute, replacing Muñoz and Isak. The new signing took up a position on the left as Liverpool sought to manage the remainder of the game. Alisson saved from Julio Enciso, and a late Jack Clarke shot went narrowly wide after a deflection, but Ipswich could not reduce the deficit.
Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas were also introduced before the finish. Liverpool had not needed another burst of scoring: the two early goals and their subsequent defending had done the job.
Isak explained afterwards that starting quickly had been a specific aim following the first two draws. He also described the intention to move forward promptly after regaining possession, before opponents could recover their shape. At Portman Road, Gakpo had twice found him in those openings. The next test would be Atlético Madrid at Anfield; Liverpool could approach it with their first win secured.