Goals from Alexander Isak in the sixth and ninth minutes saw Liverpool to a 2-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. After going behind so early, Town managed to get a foothold in the game but never seriously looked like getting back into the match, although will feel the Reds ought to have been reduced to 10 men in the second half when the already booked Jeremy Jacquet looked to have fouled Emersonn.

Exequiel Palacios was handed his full debut and first appearance at his new home ground in what was an otherwise unchanged Town side.

Argentinian World Cup-winning midfielder Palacios came in for Marcelino Nunez, who dropped to the bench alongside new signings Florentino Luis and Zian Flemming, both in the squad for the first time since joining the club. Chuba Akpom and Sindre Walle Egeli missed out.

Liverpool made one change from the team which drew 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest last week with Ronald Araujo coming in at right-back for his first Premier League start and Jeremie Frimpong moving to the bench, alongside Bradley Barcola, who joined the Reds from PSG for £123 million earlier in the week.

The visitors dominated the early stages but without threatening, before Town began to see some of the ball.

However, in the sixth minute, the Reds took the lead. An Issa Diop pass midway inside the Town half forced Sasa Lukic to move it on quickly to Abdul Fatawu, but the winger lost out to Milos Kerkez on halfway. With Lukic ahead of the ball, Cody Gakpo took it past Palacios, before sweeping to Isak on the right of the box, from where the Swedish international beat Kjell Scherpen down to his left, the Dutchman getting a hand to it but failing to keep it out.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0. Gakpo was again the architect, curling a ball with the outside of his boot into the path of Isak, who had got behind Jacob Greaves and shot low past Scherpen, who had advanced unnecessarily well off his line.

Town looked to hit back after the double blow, Alexis Mac Allister picking up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Julio Enciso on halfway.

Fatawu cut in from the right and shot deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, then wafted a cross into the arms of Alisson in the Liverpool goal.

On 13, Greaves cut back to Enciso on the edge of the box but the Paraguayan’s shot was blocked. A subsequent ball to Greaves in space on the left of the area saw the flag raised for offside against the former Hull City man.

Two minutes later Daizen Maeda’s cross from the left was too close to Alisson, then Enciso, who had very evidently been trying to restore some order and composure to the Blues following the early goals, was teed-up by Palacios not far outside the area but his effort was scuffed through to Alisson.

In the 20th minute, Fatawu gifted the ball to Gakpo midway inside the Town half, the Dutch international moving it on to Dominik Szoboszlai, whose shot was batted away to his right by Scherpen.

Three minutes later, the Hungarian struck another effort which took and deflection and Scherpen saved well.

Town created a decent opening in the 26th minute. Fatawu lofting a cross from the right which reached Leif Davis at the back post. The left-back nodded back to Emersonn, who took it down with his chest but Jacquet toed it away for a corner, catching the Brazilian on his knee as he did so.

From the corner, Alisson failed to claim and the ball looked like it might run loose briefly before the keeper was able to grab hold at the second attempt.

In the 29th minute, Scherpen saved from Gakpo but with the flag having been raised for offside.

A minute later, Enciso did well on the right, defenders standing off him before sending over a low ball which Araujo cleared from in front of Maeda with the Japanese international unmarked at the far post.

Soon after, the Blues had their best chance of the half. Fatawu crossed deep from the right to Davis but the left-back’s header was too high.

Mac Allister shot over for Liverpool, who then thought they had extended their lead via Isak’s second Portman Road hat-trick. Town’s right flank had been easily unpicked before Florian Wirtz crossed low to the former Newcastle man, who stroked into the net, but with the flag raised. A VAR check quickly confirmed the linesman was right.

Liverpool coach Tommy Elphick was booked for dissent in the 36th minute, although it was difficult to see precisely what he was complaining about.

Two minutes later, Enciso unleashed one from distance, the ball flying wide of Alisson’s left post.

Scherpen batted away another Szoboszlai strike from distance, the Hungarian largely having the freedom of the centre of the pitch against Town’s expensive but still bedding in new duo. On 41, Enciso was booked for stopping the visitors from taking a free-kick quickly.

Once it was taken, Scherpen saved a Wirtz shot, before the Blues won a couple of corners in quick succession but the Reds were able to deal with them, although having looked more than a little shaky at the back at times.

That was the last action of a half which had got off to a nightmarish start for the Blues, Liverpool scoring twice in the first nine minutes with keeper Scherpen likely to feel he should have done better on both, although with earlier errors in the build-up, symptomatic of a sloppy beginning to the game.

As against Manchester United, Town quickly allowed the opposition to score soon again after conceding, a tendency manager Gary O’Neil will need to address quickly.

From there, the Blues began to get more of a foothold in the game and created one or two openings, Davis’s header the best, but with Scherpen still the busier keeper, Szoboszlai in particular having the freedom of the park at times and the Blues looking very much a side which has only just come together.

Liverpool were first to threaten after the restart, Maeda sliding in to block a Wirtz shot from the edge. Mac Allister’s header from the corner was too close to Scherpen.

On 52, Jacquet was yellow-carded for kneeing Emersonn in the midriff as the pair battled over a Greaves long ball.

Two minutes later, Jacquet was fortunate to get away without being shown a second yellow card after catching Emersonn when the Brazilian had got himself between the French defender and the ball. Referee Darren England failed to award a foul, instead giving a throw to the visitors, and after a VAR check the decision was upheld, to Blues boss O’Neil’s evident anger on the touchline. Liverpool took too long over the throw and it was reversed.

Kerkez was booked in the 57th minute for a wild lunge at Fatawu as the Ghanaian burst past him down the flank.

As the game reached the hour mark, Lukic won the ball on halfway, before Enciso drove forward and with Maeda probably better placed to his left, cut inside and hit a shot towards the far corner which Allison saved, but not entirely comfortably, however, Emersonn wasn’t following up.

Liverpool made their first two changes on 64, swapping goalscorer Isak and Victor Munez, lively down the right throughout, for new signing Barcola and Ryan Gravenberch, whose first contribution was to catch Palacios in the face.

Town made their first switches of personnel two minutes later Flemming given his Town debut for Emersonn and Jack Clarke replacing the hard-working Maeda.

The game was held up soon afterwards when Davis battled with Szoboszlai, who had got in behind the Town full-back, who had appeared to stab behind. The VAR check showed Davis hadn’t made contact with the ball, however, referee England, having looked at the monitor in front of the Cobbold Stand, announced over the PA that the Liverpool midfielder was offside in the build-up.

Flemming curled tamely to Allison on 76, the Blues having a fair amount of the ball but with too many attacks breaking down as they got to the edge of the area or ending with weak shots.

A minute later, Liverpool counter-attacked quickly, Palacios blocking Gakpo’s shot from the 18-yard line.

Moments later, Town created a promising opening, Enciso playing in Clarke on the left but last season’s top scorer’s cross was far too early for Flemming.

On 79, the Blues swapped Fatawu and Palacios, who had begun to find his feet in the second half, for Kasey McAteer and Abdoul Ouattara, then five minutes later Liverpool switched Mac Allister for Trey Nyoni.

Soon after, Clarke played in Davis on the left but his cross was cut back rather than in front of Flemming and a number of others.

However, Diop won the ball back not far outside the Liverpool area as the visitors sought to break and fed Clarke, who shot from the edge but his shot, perhaps from Town’s most promising position in the second half, struck the Morocco defender and deflected wide for a goal-kick.

Lewis Koumas took over from Wirtz for the Merseysiders as five additional minutes were announced.

In the fourth of those minutes, Town worked a shooting opportunity for McAteer, but his effort lacked power and Alisson was untroubled.

Seconds before the whistle, Enciso cut in from the left and shot just beyond the top corner.

The result was never really in any doubt after Liverpool had made a very dominant opening spell count via Isak’s two goals.

Town got themselves into the game and showed some frailties in the visitors’ backline but with Davis’s first-half header the only really big chance.

Liverpool, who will feel fortunate regarding the lack of a second card for Jacquet, saw out the second half comfortably with the Blues causing them one or two problems late on as they threw men forward, but without ever causing the Portman Road faithful to believe a comeback might be on.

After defeats to two of the division’s giants, Town visit Selhurst Park next Saturday to take on Crystal Palace, who lost their opening two games and take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Town: Scherpen, O’Shea (c), Diop, Greaves, Davis, Palacios (Ouattara 79), Lukic, Fatawu (McAteer 79), Enciso, Maeda (Clarke 66), Emersonn (Flemming 66). Unused: Walton, Furlong, Kipre, Florentino, Nunez.

Liverpool: Alisson, Jacquet, Araujo, Van Dijk (c), Kerkez, Mac Allister (Nyoni 84), Szoboszlai, Wirtz (Koumas 90), Munoz (Gravenberch 64), Isak (Barcola 64), Gakpo. Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Ngumoha. Referee: Darren England (Doncaster). Assistants: Richard West and Adrian Holmes. Fourth official: Lewis Smith. VAR: Nick Hopton. Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick. Att: 30,019.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters