Liverpool team news vs. Ipswich: Andoni Iraola makes major midfield decision for second Premier League matchweek

Ryan Gravenberch has been dropped from Liverpool's starting XI for the second consecutive week ahead of his side's match against Ipswich Town.

The Merseysiders will take on the Tractor Boys at Portman Road on Friday, their third game of the Premier League season, and boss Andoni Iraola has made a major call in midfield.

Gravenberch has been left on the bench for a second consecutive week, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai partnering each other in the middle.

The Dutchman has been a starter for the club for the last two seasons, but he was left out of the team that faced Nottingham Forest last weekend after a poor display against Newcastle United on the opening weekend of 2026-27.

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Why has Ryan Gravenberch been dropped again by Liverpool?

There is no doubting Gravenberch's quality, especially as he played a significant role in the club winning the title in 2024-25.

However, there have long been question marks about the 24-year-old's application defensively, with the midfielder experiencing difficulties under previous managers Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot during his time at Anfield.

Mac Allister is not as physically imposing as Gravenberch, but he is more willing to cover distance, while he is also more intelligent without the ball.

The fact that Iraola has already decided to remove the Dutchman from the XI should be alarming to Gravenberch, who only signed a new contract in March, which lasts until 2032.

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Who else is playing for Liverpool against Ipswich Town?

There were calls from fans to play Szoboszlai at right-back due to the struggles of Jeremie Frimpong, who has been exploited defensively this campaign.

However, Iraola has opted to play Ronald Araujo on the right side of defence, while Jeremy Jacquet has been selected alongside Virgil van Dijk in the middle of the team's back four.

The three players will offer extra defensive security, though there are still concerns about left-back Milos Kerkez.

While some pundits have argued that the defender should be dropped, playing Kostas Tsimikas would not have alleviated Liverpool's problems.