Arsenal overtook Chelsea and moved within six points of league leaders Liverpool thanks to a narrow 1-0 win at home to Ipswich Town on Friday evening.
Kai Havertz was responsible for the only goal of the game as the hosts got off to a fast and furious start, but Mikel Arteta's side failed to extend their advantage. Ipswich Town played a part in ArsenalFrustrations and even quickening the pulse of an increasingly nervous home audience with a late surge of activity.
However, the North London side recorded a 1-0 win to keep the pressure on leaders Arne Slott. By comparison, Ipswich remains hidden away Landing zone.
How the game unfolded
The UAE audience had barely finished singing the last verse of the song “London Forever” when… Ipswich He caused an early scare with the ball across the penalty area. It proved to be a completely misleading 30-second opening.
“Our organization has to be really good,” Kieran McKenna warned before the match. It wasn't good enough. The visitors' defensive resolve was stretched and strained to the breaking point during a stifling, one-sided game, and was pinned down in their own defensive third as Arsenal kept their collective boot firmly at Ipswich's throat. Mikel ArtetaThe title chasers had 91% of possession by the time Kai Havertz scored the winner in the 23rd minute.
Leandro Trossard pulled away from Ben Johnson, finding enough space to sneak a low left-footed cross speeding along Ipswich's six-yard box and into the grateful stride of his fellow German.
A combination of Ipswich's defensive solidity and a stressful post-Christmas atmosphere prevented the Gunners from creating another chance of note in the first half. That changed after the break.
Gabriel lost his marker as he raced for a corner kick in the second half, slamming the ball into the turf from three yards out and – somehow – beyond Arianet Muric's post. Declan Rice saved a shot from a set-piece, superbly reaching Martin Odegaard's corner kick high which met a crowd of blue shirts.
There were also opportunities in open play. Arsenal's Norwegian captain fired a shot from close range over the bar shortly before Trossard and Havertz combined again. The Belgian played provider again, but his shot was blocked by Havertz from seven yards out.
In the end, the German's first-half strike proved to be enough, extending Arsenal's unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions.
Check out the player ratings for the Arsenal vs. Ipswich match here.
'London Forever' was performed with its usual flair, Mikel Arteta's hair was perfectly coiffed and Gunnersaurus Rex had his trademark smile, but there was something missing at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night. For the first time since May – and only the third time this calendar year – Arsenal prepared for a home Premier League match without Bukayo Saka.
the The injured star He will remain on the sidelines for “several weeks”, leaving a wide gap on Arsenal's right flank. Gabriel Martinelli filled the void on paper, dutifully charging into the final third with more effort than the final product. As Arteta was quick to point out before the match, one player cannot be expected to solely replace Saka's bloated production, and Arsenal enjoyed their best moments through a collective approach.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once said: “No playmaker in the world can be as good as a good counter-pressing situation.” In spite of him Long-term association with Pep GuardiolaArsenal's best teams under Arteta have always bore a close resemblance to Klopp's high-energy side.
When facing an Ipswich side with a 5-3-2 formation, the Gunners spent most of the match beating the ball past their visitors. Without Saka's stunning change for the North London side, winning possession in the final third proved to be the team's strongest weapon on Friday.
Trossard collected a loose header to score Arsenal's first goal, but this segment of play was preceded by an abundance of sharp transitions as the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard led the forward attack. The aggressive approach to the ball also limits the opposition's threat – Ipswich did not force David Raya to save a single shot.
Arsene Wenger could not contain his anger after his Arsenal side lost 2-1 to Stoke City in November 2008 thanks to two goals set up by Rory Delap from throw-ins. “It's a bit of an unfair advantage,” the French coach said angrily after the match. “He uses strength that is not normally strength in football.”
Delap's son, Liam, does not have the same unique skill set, and his familiar strength – physicality – has been neutralized by Arsenal's experienced defensive duo. Delap Junior struggled to emerge with a scrap of loose lint, let alone any change, from his clash with William Saliba and Gabriel under the bright UAE light. Perhaps he would have felt more joy in Staffordshire.
