Dominik Szoboszlai bemoans 12:30 kick-off time as Liverpool open new season with 2-0 win away at Ipswich Town despite former manager Jurgen Klopp’s least favourite match slot

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai bemoaned Liverpool’s early kick-off time against Ipswich Town to open their season.

Arne Slot‘s Premier League managerial debut couldn’t have gone much better as his side navigated a tricky tie winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah.

But Liverpool, much like last season found themselves in the Saturday lunch time kick-off slot, a time that often frustrated former manager Jurgen Klopp.

And it seems their Hungarian midfielder is also not a fan of the 12:30 start time either.

Though he was quick to mention that it is the same issue for their opponents and so did not want to use it as an excuse for their slow start.

Dominik Szoboszlai was less than pleased with the early kick-off joking it was ‘still morning’

Following the win Szoboszlai told Optus Sport: ‘I think we are at the maximum fitness we just need to use it.

‘It is not an excuse but 12:30 is still morning, but for them as well so it is not an excuse.

But from the next week on we have to be ready from the first minute onwards sometimes it works like this and sometimes you cocede a goal and it is already too late.’

The 12:30 kick-off slot was one that irked former manager Jurgen Klopp throughout his time as Liverpool boss and especially during his final season.

In his penultimate season in charge, the German’s side failed to win any of their six early kick-offs.

Jurgen Klopp often bemoaned the early kick-off time his side was given

And when he was initially given two early kick-offs following international breaks last season Klopp told reporters: ‘Are you serious with this question?’ he responded when initially asked whether his side had issues in this particular slot.

He added: ‘What do you mean what is the difference when you play 30 hours ago in Bolivia? What do you think is the reason, I don’t understand.

‘Is it something about the time or the lack of recovery in between. It’s not a problem if you have a normal week, we’ve always said that. The only problem is the lack of recovery time.

‘We have four international breaks until March, and on two of them we have the 12.30pm kick-off. If I say one word about it again the whole world goes “He’s starting to moan again”, but it’s a joke – we have players in South America that I haven’t seen yet and we play in 24 hours. It’s a joke.’

And his issues with that time to start a match go even further back than last season, in 2020 he seemingly blamed BT Sport for an injury to James Milner.

During the post-match interview with the broadcaster, he said ‘congratulations’ to Des Kelly before continuing: ”Well you work for them, Ask Chris Wilder how we can work on that. I don’t know how often I have to say it, but you pick the 12:30 kick offs.

‘Between now and December there is one more Wednesday, Saturday. These are difficult times. I am just saying it how it is. Wednesday to Saturday 12:30 is really dangerous.’ 

The lunch time kick-off can often lead to somewhat subdued atmosphere but there was no danger of that here.

It was a sluggish start for the visitors but the same could not be said for the fans as Portman Road was bouncing before kick-off.

And who could blame them, it had been 22 years since their last Premier League appearance and it was clear they were ready for this moment.

That energy definitely transferred to the players who set about Liverpool in a particularly physical fashion.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring rounding off a sweeping Liverpool move

Mohamed Salah wrapped up the points with his ninth goal on Premier League opening days

It was certainly too physical for referee Tim Robinson as The Tractor Boys picked up three bookings inside the first 25 minutes.

Liverpool could never really find their rhythm among that physical approach and sputtered into half-time at 0-0 with Kieran McKenna definitely the happier of the two managers.

The second-half saw the visitors take control of the game and 15 minutes after the restart they had their reward when Diogo Jota rounded of a flowing move tapping home after Salah laid it on a plate.

And the Egyptian superstar would turn goalscorer for Liverpool’s second to seal the three points with a neat finish.