Liverpool F.C. Have confirmed their starting lineup for Friday's Premier League fixture away to Ipswich Town. New £123 million winger Bradley Barcola begins the match on the bench, with Victor Munoz retaining his place in the attack after scoring last weekend.
Andoni Iraola's side travel to Portman Road still searching for their first league victory of the 2026-27 campaign. They drew 2-2 with both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in their opening two matches. The Reds sit 14th in the early standings, a position they will be desperate to improve with a win against the newly-promoted Tractor Boys.
Alisson continues in goal behind a back four of Virgil van Dijk, Castello Lukeba, Milos Kerkez and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The midfield trio features Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. Cody Gakpo and Victor Munoz support central striker Alexander Isak in the forward line.
Summer arrival Munoz scored a late equaliser on his first competitive start against Forest. His inclusion sees Darwin Nunez drop to the bench, alongside the club's record signing Bradley Barcola. The 24-year-old French winger completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week.
Ipswich Town started the season well but were thrashed 5-2 by Manchester United last Sunday. Manager Gary O'Neil will hope home advantage can spark a reaction. For Liverpool, the pressure is building after an underwhelming start that has yielded just two points.
The Reds' defensive record is a concern, having conceded four goals in two games. They have shown resilience to fight back for draws, but Iraola will demand a more controlled performance from the outset. A look at the team's defensive stats shows room for improvement.
The club's major acquisition is not thrown straight into the starting eleven. Barcola's arrival adds significant depth and competition in the wide attacking positions, challenging the likes of Gakpo and Luis Diaz. His £123 million fee shows the club's ambition to immediately bolster their attacking options.
Iraola may look to introduce Barcola from the bench to make an impact if the game is tight. His pace and direct running could be a useful weapon against a tiring Ipswich defence in the latter stages. The manager now has a wealth of attacking talent to manage across a busy fixtures schedule.
The match kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday, 4 September 2026 at Portman Road. Liverpool's next fixture is a home game against Aston Villa on Saturday, 12 September.
