Reds in control at half-time

Liverpool 2 Ipswich 0

Two sledgehammer strikes from John Arne Riise looked to have squeezed the Premiership life from defiant Ipswich.

The Norwegian struck in the 11th and 35th minutes to put Liverpool in command at Anfield.

Ipswich started with fire and determination.

They had Liverpool penned back in the opening minutes, but the first shot went the way of the hosts when John Arne Riise cut in from the left and unleashed a trademark drive that was charged down on the edge of the box.

Riise’s through ball, heading for Michael Owen, was cut out at the last moment by John McGreal, while on eight minutes Xavier’s low cross into the box was claimed by Andy Marshall as Emile Heskey charged in.

It was the thundering shooting of Riise that had Liverpool ahead after just 11 minutes.

Xavier’s ball into the box was flicked on by Owen for the left-sided midfielder to somehow pop up in the inside right channel to crash a rising drive high into the net from 12 yards past the helpless Marshall.

The Kop were in full voice now and they rose to give a wonderful reception to substitute Gary McAllister as he warmed up along the touchline, the veteran Scot involved for the last time before moving on to manage Coventry.

Nicolas Anelka, still at the centre of a will-he-won’t-he sign saga, got a similar reception from the fans.

Ipswich, though, were not prepared to give in and should have equalised on 19 minutes.

Jamie Clapham’s cross from the right was met on the six-yard line by Darren Bent and his powerful downward header was held on the line by Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool had looked a little uncertain in defence as the two Bents battled away bravely and Matt Holland pulled the strings from midfield.

Martin Reuser was furious with referee Steve Dunn when Stephane Henchoz looked to have handled as he threw his body in the way of a cross, but Dunn waved away Ipswich’s appeals.

There was more than a flutter of concern around the stadium on 32 minutes when Steven Gerrard, one of England’s great hopes for the World Cup, made a premature exit from proceedings.

Vladimir Smicer took over as Gerrard marched off, in no obvious discomfort as has been his previous exits from games, but he was taken straight down the tunnel by club doctor Mark Waller.

Reports later suggested he was suffering from a ‘‘tightness in his groin’’ but the injury was not been classed as serious.

Smicer’s arrival produced the second goal. He raced from halfway and was sent crashing to the ground just outside the box with the ball breaking for Riise.

Referee Dunn played the advantage and the ball was instantly crashed in off the far post by Riise.

Ipswich’s response was a thundering drive from Reuser a minute later that came back off the woodwork - such is the luck of teams at the wrong end of the table.

Then Ipswich lost key defender McGreal, who had been struggling with a leg injury, Fabian Wilnis coming on after 38 minutes.

Clapham wasted a good opening on 44 minutes when Darren Bent had set him up, but the defender mis-hit his shot from the edge of the box.