Liverpool's dominance at the top of the table made this a must-win game. It was a scrappy affair for long periods, with Ipswich showing grit and determination to bounce back from their 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle the previous Saturday – their only heavy defeat this season.
Arsenal struggled to create clear-cut chances and were largely kept at bay. However, a solitary goal proved sufficient, coupled with another clean sheet for David Raya, his 23rd in 50 league appearances for the club. The goalkeeper has already surpassed the legendary David Seaman's record at this stage of his Arsenal career.
Kai Havertz was the scorer, calmly converting a Leandro Trossard cross midway through the first half. The game itself was far from straightforward for Arsenal, and Ipswich, who remain in the relegation zone, can take heart from their resilient performance.
Arsenal got the job done, maintaining their unbeaten home record in the league. The victory moves them up to second place, six points behind Liverpool, although they have played a game more. “Boring, boring Arsenal,” chanted the Ipswich fans towards the end, as Mikel Arteta’s team closed out the game with a few nervy moments. Arsenal supporters simply smiled in response.
This match marked the start of Arsenal's campaign without Bukayo Saka, who is sidelined for at least two months following hamstring surgery. The Gunners now face the challenge of replacing his goals and assists.
As anticipated, Arteta opted to shift Gabriel Martinelli to the right wing and bring Trossard back on the left. Arsenal aim to cope better without Saka than they did without their captain, Martin Ødegaard, who missed seven league games from mid-September. During that period, the team managed only three victories. This was a step in the right direction, even though Martinelli found it tough to get past his marker, Leif Davis.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna set his team up to be compact, aiming to keep Arsenal in front of them and prevent them from getting in behind the defense. This made conceding the goal all the more frustrating for him.
Ipswich held firm for the first 20 minutes. But then, a cross from Martinelli on the right found its way to Trossard on the opposite flank, leaving him one-on-one with Ben Johnson. Trossard easily beat his man, accelerating to the byline before delivering a cross. The ball reached Havertz – evading a couple of Ipswich defenders in the process – and he made no mistake from close range.
Ipswich switched between a back five and a back four; it was more often a five, depending on the positioning of Johnson on the right. They created a half-chance in the opening minute when a Davis cross took a deflection, but Sammie Szmodics couldn't connect with the bouncing ball. For the remainder of the first half, Arsenal dominated possession, with Ipswich camped deep in their own half. After 27 minutes, Arsenal had enjoyed a staggering 92% of the ball.
Liam Delap led the line for Ipswich and made his presence felt. It was telling that the visiting goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric, was jeered for time-wasting after just 20 minutes. This followed Jurriën Timber's shot straight at Muric after he burst through a gap in midfield.
Arsenal created few chances in the first half. Trossard had a shot blocked by Kalvin Phillips, who impressed on his first start since November 2nd. Declan Rice fired a long-range effort over the bar. Gabriel Jesus had the ball in the net but was flagged offside.
Arsenal were looking for their fourth consecutive clean sheet at home in the league, and Arteta made a bold decision to stick with 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, despite Riccardo Calafiori's return to fitness. Lewis-Skelly had a bright moment in the first half when he turned upfield, evading a challenge, and tried to create an opening. This was notable because the game was characterized by more niggle than inspiration.
The home fans craved a second goal to ease their anxieties, and it was baffling how Gabriel Magalhães failed to score after Rice delivered a pinpoint corner in the 63rd minute. Unmarked and just three yards out, Gabriel headed wide.
Ødegaard became more influential after the break, driving forward in the attacking third. He forced a save from Muric and then picked out Rice for a volley from the resulting corner, which was blocked by Dara O’Shea. Arsenal continued to press. Havertz missed his kick when well-placed, and substitute Mikel Merino tested Muric. Just as important was Arsenal's defensive solidity. Despite getting into some promising positions in the second half, Ipswich never truly threatened.
