Jota and Salah score as Liverpool beat Ipswich

Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah scored the goals as Arne Slot’s reign as Liverpool head coach began with a hard-fought victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town at a boisterous Portman Road.

Portuguese forward Jota finished off a flowing Liverpool move involving Salah and the impressive Trent Alexander-Arnold shortly after the hour mark, side-footing the Egyptian’s low cross past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.

And it was 2-0 just five minutes later, Salah scoring from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass for his ninth opening-day goal – a Premier League record.

Playing their first top-flight game in 22 years, Ipswich were more than a match for Slot’s team in the first half and went closest to opening the scoring before half-time, first through Jacob Greaves’ downward header and then Omar Hutchinson’s low drive.

But Liverpool were much improved after the restart and should have taken the lead when Jota nodded Alexander-Arnold’s inch-perfect cross narrowly wide of the far post early in the second half.

The 27-year-old made amends for that miss moments later, before Salah put the seal on a narrow win and condemned Ipswich to their first home defeat in nearly 12 months.