Ipswich vs Arsenal Preview

• Arsenal to win
• Over 1.5 goals for Arsenal

Relegation reality closing in for Ipswich

Ipswich may have shown flashes of fight in their 2-2 draw at Chelsea, but surrendering a 2-0 lead was yet another blow to a club staring at inevitable relegation. Even victory here may not be enough to delay the drop, with their fate hinging on other results involving West Ham and Wolves. Should both win, and Ipswich fall to defeat, the Tractor Boys’ return to the Championship will be mathematically confirmed.

Their recent form offers little hope of an escape, especially given a 14-match winless streak in league head-to-heads against Arsenal (D3, L11), with the last four ending in defeats without finding the net. However, Kieran McKenna’s men have at least been relatively effective in front of goal, scoring in 11 of their last 12 matches in all competitions. Defensive frailty has been their Achilles’ heel though, particularly late on, with only Southampton conceding more Premier League goals after the hour mark than Ipswich’s 24 pre-round.

Arsenal riding a European high

Arsenal will arrive at Portman Road buoyed by one of the club’s most famous European nights in recent memory. Their 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu sealed a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 15 years, and despite the league’s relegation to a secondary concern in recent weeks, Mikel Arteta will be keen to maintain momentum across all fronts.

The Gunners can ill afford to drop points in this fixture, particularly as a slip-up followed by a Liverpool win later in the day would hand the Merseysiders the title. That outcome looks unlikely given Arsenal’s recent form on the road, with a six-match unbeaten away run in the Premier League (W3, D3), and a 100% win record in their last ten top-flight games against teams starting the round in the bottom three. Those ten victories came with a combined scoreline of 30-2, underlining their dominance against struggling opponents.

Ipswich’s uphill battle

Ipswich’s recent performances haven’t matched the urgency of their situation. Defensive lapses, particularly in the second half of matches, have left them consistently vulnerable, and they’ll be fully aware that the prospect of earning a first home league win over Arsenal since 1984 looks bleak. With pressure mounting and the quality gap evident, Ipswich may once again find themselves overwhelmed by a top-tier opponent.

Players to watch

Julio Enciso (Ipswich)

The Paraguayan attacker finally broke his duck for the season with a composed finish against Chelsea last weekend.

He seems to enjoy facing London clubs, with three of his last four Premier League goals coming against capital-based teams, including one against Arsenal while at Brighton in the 2022/23 season.

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Arsenal’s talisman continues to shine on the biggest stages.

His well-taken opener against Real Madrid midweek was his tenth goalscoring appearance of the campaign – nine of those ten matches have ended in victory for the Gunners (D1), highlighting his impact in decisive moments.

Hot stat

None of Ipswich’s last six matches have featured a first-half booking for their opponents.

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Ipswich v Arsenal, 2024/25 | Premier League