Ipswich vs Liverpool LIVE commentary: Bradley Barcola in line for debut as Reds chase first win

Liverpool take on Ipswich in the Premier League tonight chasing their first win of the season, live on talkSPORT.

The Reds under Andoni Iraola have drawn their opening two games 2-2 against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.

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Meanwhile, the newly promoted Tractor Boys kicked off by beating Sunderland but were thrashed 5-2 by Manchester United last time out.

It’s a repeat of Ipswich’s first game of the 2024/25 campaign – when they returned to the Premier League after 22 years away and were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in their first outing under Arne Slot, who went on to lead them to the title.

Both sides made big signings late in the transfer window, with Liverpool finally securing the services of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain while Ipswich landed striker Zian Flemming from Burnley.

How to follow Ipswich vs Liverpool

This clash, the first Premier League fixture of Matchweek 3, takes place tonight – Friday, September 4.

Kick-off at Portman Road is at 8pm.

talkSPORT’s exclusive live radio coverage of the match will be hosted by Hugh Woozencroft.

Commentary comes from Jim Proudfoot and former West Ham and England striker Dean Ashton.

Listen talkSPORT through the website or find us on DAB digital radio through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Download and listen to all our live commentaries via the talkSPORT app, whilst talkSPORT is also available to watch on Samsung TV Plus.

Subscribe to the talkSPORT YouTube channel for news, views and analysis plus our regular goals show and for more, follow us on talkSPORT Facebook and talkSPORT on X.

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The action will be live on Sky Sports Main Evert and Sky Sports Premier League from 7pm.

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Ipswich vs Liverpool team news

Both sides are without a number of players for this encounter due to injury.

Ipswich are still missing two of their promotion winners, Jack Taylor and Jaden Philogene-Bidace, neither of whom has featured in a matchday squad so far in 2026/27.

They’ll also be hoping the issue that forced their club-record signing, striker Emersonn, off at half-time of the defeat to Man United isn’t anything serious.

As for Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike is expected to be sidelined until the New Year as he continues his recovery from the ruptured Achilles he sustained in April.

Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni, both long-term absentees with knee injuries, are closing in on a return but won’t be fit for the trip to Suffolk.

Of the aforementioned new arrivals, Flemming seems the more likely to start having already featured heavily for Burnley in the Championship this season.

It might well be a case of introducing Barcola from the bench given that he hasn’t played any competitive football since the World Cup, where he helped France to a fourth-placed finish.

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Iraola growing frustrated

Reflecting on his team’s loss to United, O’Neil said Ipswich need to ‘handle the momentum’ better and keep on top of their ’emotional discipline’.

He added: “We have three points from two tough games. A good start for us.

“It is the Premier League, the lads understand there will be highs and lows. We don’t want there to be too many lows but the lads are fine in there. They understand.”

Iraola was left ‘frustrated’ at failing to beat Forest, though he praised Liverpool’s second-half performance in a match in which they twice came from behind to clinch a point.

He said “I’m frustrated because we want to win – especially at home. It’s not a good result to draw at home.

“It’s true that we’ve come back from two results where we were losing, like the other day against Newcastle. But at the end what makes the difference are the wins and the three points.

“I like what we’ve done in the second half, but we haven’t been able to complete the comeback and the point. It leaves you frustrated, yes.”