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Barely two years have passed since Liverpool last made the long trip. But the unprecedented rate of change with the Reds has rarely been so evidently illustrated as on their latest visit to Portman Road.
And for Andoni Iraola, it arguably represents the true start of his reign in the Anfield hotseat.
The Basque has made no secret of being among the large number of managers and head coaches who have little time for the overlap between the Premier League season starting and the transfer window slamming shut.
The late start to this campaign meant there were only two games to negotiate. That, though, was more than enough for Iraola to be irked by the uncertainty not knowing which players he will be able to count upon for the remainder of the calendar year.
In the end, Liverpool further added only Bradley Barcola to their squad before the deadline - although at a potential £123million, the France international was hardly an insignificant capture - with the lesser-spotted Harvey Elliott the one senior member to depart on loan to Valencia.
Iraola hinted on Thursday more would have been done but for the club to decline taking up an option or two, mindful of the eventual return of Giovanni Leoni and, much further down the line, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike. Under Fenway Sports Group, the transfer market has never been used to solve every issue.
But at least Iraola can now properly forge ahead with attempts to impose his methods and ideology on a squad that, at least to the casual outside observer, appears strangely unbalanced.
Speaking ahead of Friday evening's game, the Reds head coach was extolling the virtues of versatility, particularly when discussing the problematic right-hand side and the defensive midfield positions. For a Liverpool fanbase scarred by seeing too many square pegs in round holes last season, the prospect of more of the same - albeit with a different approach - perhaps wasn't what they they wanted to hear.
The first obstacle for Iraola, though, is to gain his first competitive victory as Liverpool head coach at the third attempt after battling but ultimately disappointing successive 2-2 draws at Newcastle United and home to Nottingham Forest.
Only twice in almost a century has a new Reds boss had to wait until this fourth game to register a first victory - Roy Evans in 1994 and, perhaps surprisingly, Jurgen Klopp in 2015.
Of course, the most recent visit to Ipswich saw Iraola's predecessor, Arne Slot, get off to a winning start that prompted a run of 23 victories in his first 27 games in all competitions.
But consider this. Half of the 20 players involved that matchday will ply their trade elsewhere this season while, of course, there has also been the tragic death of Diogo Jota.
Liverpool have subsequently spent more than £700m in the transfer market and undergone a change of head coach and key backroom staff, and picked up a major new investment consortium along the way.
And the form on the pitch has altered dramatically also - not for the best.
Since claiming the title by beating Tottenham Hotspur in April last year, Liverpool have won only 17 of 44 Premier League games. For context, Arsenal have 30 wins in the same period, Manchester City 28 and Manchester United 22. Everton have won 16.
That trend isn't going to change overnight and underlines why those inside the club are braced for a period where results and performances may not be as intended during the initial adaptation under a new regime.
The average age of the permanent incomings also indicates this is a Liverpool squad that is going to need time to mature. The starting point isn't as advantageous as the one afforded Slot, although the Reds are undoubtedly in a better position than they were when Klopp assumed control.
The closing of the transfer window always prompts a sigh of relief from everyone involved in the game. For Iraola, though, the hard work is now only just getting started.