Liverpool's manager Andoni Iraola celebrated a 2-0 victory over Ipswich, marking his first win in the Premier League with the Reds.
Iraola was pleased with the first half performance and had special praise for Alexander Isak, who netted a brace:
It’s always nice to earn your first victory. Given how things have been up to this point, we really needed it. We managed to keep a clean sheet and controlled the match well. We started excellently, although the second half was different and perhaps not as good.
The manager emphasised that he expects much more from Isak than just goals:
He’s an incredibly important player for us. My expectations will likely focus on more than just scoring. I know he’s fit and in good shape. He will contribute the numbers we need.
My work with him will revolve around other aspects — how he can assist the team in various situations. But it's great that he’s already played two full matches and is scoring. I'm very happy he’s with us.
In the first half, we pressed much better, allowing us to win the ball high up the pitch and find Isak in good positions. If we lose the ball deeper, getting it to Alexander is much harder. It takes the whole team’s effort to create the moments he had today.
Iraola also discussed the full debut of Jeremy Jacquet:
For any centre-back, playing alongside Virgil van Dijk is a masterclass and a real lesson. This was Jeremy’s first full match. He couldn’t finish the last two games due to fatigue. I also had some doubts in the second half today, but he needs to experience those tough patches to build his fitness.
The manager highlighted the noteworthy debut of Bradley Barcola, who came on as a substitute:
I think he did well in the minutes he was on. He has a really quality pass. Several times in counter-attacks, we didn't manage to find him, so we still need to learn how to utilise those runs. He’ll always be a threat behind the defenders.
After the World Cup, he hasn’t had any official matches, so we need to be a bit cautious with him. But I was very impressed with how he played.
