Liverpool finally have a Premier League victory under Andoni Iraola, and it arrived with the sort of performance that should settle a few nerves around Anfield.
Two goals from Alexander Isak inside the opening nine minutes gave Liverpool a 2-0 win at Ipswich Town, following consecutive 2-2 draws with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. This time there was control, authority and, most importantly, a cutting edge.
Liverpool never looked in serious danger once Isak had put them in command. The scoreline could have been more emphatic, particularly during a first half when Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Isak combined with purpose and Ipswich struggled to contain the movement ahead of them.
For Iraola, it was his first league win as Liverpool head coach. For Isak, it felt far more significant.
There has been plenty of weight attached to Isak since his £125million move from Newcastle United last September.
His first campaign at Liverpool never really found any rhythm. The timing of his arrival left him behind his team-mates physically, injuries interrupted him repeatedly and he finished with only three Premier League goals.
At Portman Road, he almost matched that total before some supporters had settled into their seats.
His first goal came from a sharp Liverpool transition. Gakpo released him with a well-weighted pass and Isak timed his run perfectly before driving a powerful finish past Kjell Scherpen at the near post.
Three minutes later, he went again. This time Isak adjusted his movement intelligently before meeting a clever trivela pass from Gakpo. His composure was excellent. With defenders closing and Scherpen advancing, the striker slid a left-footed finish into the net.
It was the sort of sequence Liverpool expected when they spent so heavily on him.
There were other encouraging signs too. Isak linked well with Gakpo and Wirtz, drifted into wider areas when the space demanded it, occupied central defenders and showed more energy when Liverpool pressed.
He even had a third finish ruled out for offside shortly after the half-hour mark.
This looked much closer to the player Liverpool believed they were buying. Iraola needs clinical forwards while his ideas continue to bed in, and Isak gave him exactly that.
Photo: IMAGO
Football changes quickly.
Only days ago, Gakpo's future appeared uncertain as Liverpool closed in on Bradley Barcola. Manchester City were interested, Barcola was arriving for £123million and it was reasonable to wonder whether the Dutchman would be pushed towards the exit.
Against Ipswich, Gakpo gave Liverpool a very simple answer.
He created both goals inside nine minutes and produced arguably his best all-round display for some time.
The first assist was direct and precise. The second was far more imaginative, a beautifully shaped outside-of-the-foot pass that released Isak behind the Ipswich defence.
Gakpo's work without the ball was just as impressive. He tracked runners, competed physically, held possession under pressure and repeatedly forced Ipswich into fouls.
At one stage, five Ipswich players surrounded him and still failed to take the ball away.
Jamie Carragher summed up the mood during the game when he wrote that Barcola was "going to struggle to get a game with this version of Gakpo".
That assessment was fair.
Gakpo already has four goal involvements this season and this was the sort of performance that strengthens Liverpool's squad. Competition with Barcola could yet bring more from both players.
Liverpool were right to keep him.
Liverpool's full-back positions have attracted plenty of scrutiny during the opening weeks of the season.
Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez both struggled during the draws with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, with opponents finding space behind them and targeting them physically.
Iraola responded by keeping Kerkez on the left and moving Ronald Araujo to right-back.
The Uruguay international was not spectacular. He did not need to be.
Araujo gave Liverpool greater physical security on that side of the pitch. Ipswich found it difficult to isolate him, Daizen Maeda struggled to make an impact and Liverpool looked more secure when defending direct balls.
There were imperfect moments. A miscued clearance led to a corner and he looked uncomfortable dealing with a couple of crosses towards the back post.
Overall, though, the experiment worked.
Araujo also helped Liverpool form a back three in possession, giving Kerkez licence to push higher on the opposite side. That shape allowed Gakpo to move closer to Wirtz and Isak, which helped Liverpool create the combinations that caused Ipswich so many problems.
It is an option Iraola should consider again.
Atletico Madrid visit Anfield in the Champions League on Wednesday and Araujo's strength, aerial ability and defensive instincts could be useful against stronger opposition.
Liverpool remain a work in progress, but this was the most convincing display of Iraola's short reign.
The first two league matches exposed familiar defensive problems and a lack of control at key moments. At Portman Road, Liverpool looked more balanced and far more decisive.
Isak supplied the goals. Gakpo supplied the creativity. Araujo brought defensive stability. Kerkez had more freedom. Wirtz found better spaces between the lines.
There will be far harder tests than Ipswich over the coming weeks and this victory does not provide answers to every question surrounding Iraola's side.
What mattered here was the clarity.
Iraola made changes, Liverpool responded and their £125million striker delivered the sort of finishing that can transform difficult afternoons into comfortable ones.
After two frustrating draws, the new head coach finally has his first Premier League victory.
Liverpool have their first clean sheet too.
Most importantly, Isak finally looks like a centre-forward ready to make this team his own.
