Alexander Isak’s nine-minute Liverpool double sets new Premier League mark

Alexander Isak scored twice in just nine minutes to give Liverpool a straightforward 2-0 victory over Ipswich in the opening match of the third round of the Premier League.

The Sweden international’s quickfire goals also made it Liverpool’s fastest double in a Premier League match since 2011. Isak’s achievement surpassed the previous mark set by Maxi Rodriguez, who scored twice by the seventh minute against Fulham.

Liverpool went on to win that match 5-2, but Isak’s two-goal spell against Ipswich came in a more tightly controlled victory. The striker’s contribution was enough to settle the contest and secure all three points for his side.

The timing of Isak’s goals gave Liverpool a notable statistical milestone as well as a winning start to the latest round of league fixtures. No Liverpool player had scored a Premier League double as quickly since Rodriguez reached his unwanted-to-be-improved benchmark against Fulham in 2011.

Rodriguez had needed only seven minutes to complete his double in that match, which remains the earlier reference point for Liverpool’s fastest Premier League brace before Isak’s performance against Ipswich. Isak’s goals came within a nine-minute period, placing his display second on that particular timescale while establishing the club’s quickest double in 14 years.

There is also a familiar opponent waiting for Liverpool in the next round. The club’s following Premier League fixture will be against Fulham on the next Saturday, meaning that Liverpool’s upcoming opponents are the same team involved in Rodriguez’s previous record-setting performance.

The result against Ipswich therefore combined an uncomplicated scoreline with a significant Liverpool scoring statistic. Isak’s finishing ensured the match was decided by two goals from the same player, while the short interval between them made the striker the latest Liverpool player to produce a rapid Premier League double.

By the end of the game, Liverpool had secured a 2-0 victory and Isak had moved ahead of the club’s recent benchmark for the quickest such performance. The next opportunity to build on that result will come against Fulham, the side that featured in Rodriguez’s seven-minute double in 2011.