MOHAMED Salah set a new English Premier League goals record today, helping Liverpool defeat Ipswich 2-0 at Portman Road.
The Egypt forward scored the Reds’ second goal against the newcomers and became the first player in EPL history to score in nine opening-day matches.
Diogo Jota scored the first as Arne Slot’s reign as Liverpool head coach began with a hard-fought victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town.
The hosts held their own against Liverpool in a tight first half, but the more experienced side stepped it up after the break.
Portugal forward Jota finished off a flowing Liverpool move, which involved Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, shortly after the hour mark, side-footing the Egyptian’s low cross past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.
It was 2-0 just five minutes later, Salah finishing Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass for his record-setting ninth opening-day goal.
Ipswich were as good as Slot’s team in the opening half and went closest to taking the lead before half-time, first through Jacob Greaves’ downward header and then Omar Hutchinson’s low drive.
But Liverpool 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 the win and condemned Ipswich to their first home defeat in nearly 12 months.
With the victory, Slot became the first manager to win his opening Premier League game for Liverpool since Gérard Houllier and Roy Evans beat Southampton in 1998 when they were jointly in charge.
