Cody Gakpo shines as Liverpool secures convincing win

Liverpool celebrated a commanding 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town at Anfield, with Cody Gakpo playing a starring role in Virgil van Dijk’s 300th appearance for the club. The Dutch forward contributed two goals and an assist, ensuring the Premier League leaders maintained their six-point gap at the top of the table.

Early dominance sets the tone

Liverpool wasted no time asserting their dominance against the relegation-threatened Ipswich. After just ten minutes, Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring with a clinical low shot into the near corner, putting the hosts ahead 1-0.

The Reds continued to control the match, and in the 35th minute, Gakpo set up Mohamed Salah for Liverpool’s second goal. The Egyptian forward converted from a tight angle, bringing his Premier League tally for the season to 19 goals—making him the league’s top scorer ahead of Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland, who both have 17 goals.

Gakpo steals the spotlight

As halftime approached, Gakpo found himself on the scoresheet, tapping in a rebound after Szoboszlai’s initial shot was saved. The Dutchman’s first goal of the match gave Liverpool a commanding 3-0 lead going into the break.

In the 66th minute, Gakpo struck again, heading home a precise cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold to make it 4-0. His second goal capped off an outstanding individual performance, further highlighting his growing influence under manager Arne Slot.

A late consolation for Ipswich

Despite Liverpool’s dominance, Ipswich managed to score a late consolation goal. In the 90th minute, defender Jacob Greaves headed past Alisson to make the final score 4-1. While the goal denied Liverpool a clean sheet, it did little to dampen the celebrations at Anfield. The match was also significant for Virgil van Dijk, who made his 300th appearance for Liverpool. The Dutch captain led his team with characteristic composure, anchoring a defense that allowed only one late goal.

Premier League standings

The win keeps Liverpool firmly at the top of the Premier League with 53 points from 22 matches. Arsenal, with 47 points from 23 games, remains their closest challenger. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, who suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth, sits third with 44 points. Ipswich, struggling in 18th place with 16 points, faces an uphill battle to avoid relegation. With their latest victory, Liverpool continues to demonstrate why they are the team to beat this season. As Gakpo’s form surges and Salah remains a reliable scorer, Arne Slot’s side looks poised to maintain their grip on the title race. For Ipswich, however, the focus shifts to survival as they fight to climb out of the relegation zone.