Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (December 27, 2024) Match analysis

Arsenal moved up to second in the Premier League, just six points behind Liverpool, after a largely trouble-free, if somewhat sluggish, 1-0 home win over Ipswich Town on a chilly night in north London on Friday.

A first-half goal from Kai Havertz, pouncing on a clever pullback from Leandro Trossard, proved the winner, although the hosts should have scored more as the Gunners’ performance didn’t generate many New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Lacking the creativity of the injured Bukayo Saka, it took Arsenal 19 minutes to score their first shot, although Havertz scored his sixth goal of the season in all competitions four minutes later by tapping in Trossard’s whipped cross.

Ipswich came under pressure 10 minutes into the second half but it proved fleeting and Arsenal could have comfortably put the game to bed after that.

Defender Gabriel Magalhães missed a golden opportunity to extend his scoring streak from corners when, completely unmarked, he headed the ball just wide of the goal. Captain Martin Odegaard then danced from midfield into the visitors box and fired the ball over the goal.

The win leaves Arsenal 36 points behind Liverpool, who have 42 with a game to play, and meant the Gunners beat both London rivals Chelsea, who have 35 points, and Nottingham Forest, one of the surprise teams of the season, on 34 points in fourth place, overtaken.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told reporters he was “very happy with the win, with the goals conceded and with large parts of the game. We should have scored more, but it’s because of the consistency, the team didn’t concede anything again.”

“Considering all the circumstances we’ve had this season, the frequency with which we’ve had to play with ten men, all the injuries we’ve had, it’s good to be in the position we’re in, but it is not the position we want to be in. We want to be first.

The Gunners next visit Brentford on New Year’s Day and Brighton & Hove Albion on January 4th before playing two domestic cup games and hosting local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on January 15th.

Friday’s game started slowly, with Arsenal holding the ball easily at the start, despite being largely in non-threatening areas, until Trossard stormed to the byline after 23 minutes and shot the ball across Havertz to slot it in.

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus thought he had extended his recent scoring streak later in the half when he fired the ball through the legs of Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric from an impossibly tight angle, only to have it ruled out for offside.

The home side also created a handful of good chances in the final 20 minutes, with Odegaard, Havertz and Trossard all firing shots, but if Arsenal want to continue their challenge against Liverpool they will need to show more precise finishing.

Ipswich remain second bottom with 12 points from 18 games, three outside the safety zone, before they host Chelsea on Monday.

“The players worked really hard and we got the game to a good level after just over 20 minutes in the second half,” Ipswich coach Kieran McKenna told the BBC.

“At the start we were stuck and couldn’t get out, but after 89 minutes I was really where we were. I was really happy… The defense was good and we will need that against Chelsea on Monday.”