Liverpool vs Ipswich LIVE: Result and reaction as Reds cruise to victory at Anfield
Liverpool 4-1 Ipswich: Cody Gakpo scored twice to lead the charge as the table-toppers stayed six points clear
Mohamed Salah scored his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool fc at Anfield but it was the 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town which was more significant as Arne Slot's side maintained their stranglehold at the top of the table.
Salah's 19th league goal of the season and 176th ever in the competition, which puts him just one behind sixth-placed Frank Lampard (177) on the list of its all-time scorers, came in between strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo as the visitors were clinically exposed in the first half.
Gakpo headed in a fourth just past the hour to afford Slot the luxury of resting the forward, fellow Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai with 25 minutes remaining.
Ten-man Arsenal kept within six points, albeit having played a game more, with a win at struggling Wolves but third-placed Nottingham Forest fell nine behind after defeat at Bournemouth.
Ipswich, who have now lost eight of the last 11 league matches, did not manage a shot until the hour mark and got off lightly in some respects as had their hosts - for whom this was the first of six games in 18 days in four competitions - not eased off the intensity it could easily have been a repeat of last week's humiliation at Manchester City.
Relive all of the action from Anfield in our live blog below:
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Ipswich
44 mins: GOAL! Liverpool are running away with this!
Gravenberch bends one in towards Szoboszlai whose close-range effort is saved, but Cody Gakpo is there to tuck home the rebound.
A fifth goal in five consecutive home league games for the Dutchman. That should be job done.
Liverpool 2-0 Ipswich
40 mins: Philogene has a first opportunity of the game to attack and tries to slip through Delap, who goes down in the box after Konate comes across.
Appeals for an Ipswich penalty mainly come from the away end, with Delap himself hardly looking convinced. The referee waves play on.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Ipswich
35 mins: GOAL! Just like that, Liverpool double their lead!
Lovely delivery from Gakpo to find an unmarked Salah in space, who brings it down and fires into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
That’s the goal that the Anfield faithful would’ve been craving. Liverpool have breathing space.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
33 mins: Van Dijk tries switching the play but his lofted pass asks too much of Gakpo.
The delay brought by Burns’ injury has slightly taken the sting out of this game.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
29 mins: Ipswich will be fearing the worst there as Burns is stretchered off with what looks like a serious knee injury.
Ben Johnson comes on in his place.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
24 mins: Concern for Ipswich as Wes Burns lies on the deck, looking in a lot of discomfort.
His knee looked to buckle under him as he planted his foot trying to tackle Gakpo.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
21 mins: Mac Allister pinches the ball in the middle of the park before driving forward into space and shooting from range.
We know he can score from distance, but this time he can only drag it wide.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
20 mins: First opportunity for Ipswich as Wes Burns forces Robertson into conceding a corner.
Davis whips it right on top of the goalkeeper, Alisson flaps at it and does enough. The whistle then goes for a foul on the keeper.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
18 mins: Liverpool in complete control here.
Alexander-Arnold is staying in more forward positions, forcing Philogene to drop back and allowing Konate to have space to pick out pass after pass.
Liverpool are yet to fashion another golden opportunity, but you feel it might be coming.
Liverpool 1-0 Ipswich
13 mins: Liverpool haven’t taken long to get going here, and they could’ve had another seconds after the restart.
Salah latches onto an over-the-top ball and looks to be winning the tussle with the Ipswich man by his side, but the Egyptian can’t get a meaningful effort away after cutting back.
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