Arsenal Spank Ipswich 4-0
Arsenal denied Liverpool the chance to win the Premier League title this weekend as they comfortably beat 10-man Ipswich at Portman Road.
In their first match since seeing off Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals, the Gunners produced another excellent display against an Ipswich side on the verge of relegation.
Arsenal dominated from kick-off and took the lead in the 14th minute when Bukayo Saka’s cross into the box was helped on by a slight touch from Martin Odegaard and turned into the net by Leandro Trossard.
They doubled their lead after more good work by Saka, whose cross into the area was cleverly flicked on by Mikel Merino for Gabriel Martinelli to tap into an empty net.
Ipswich’s task was then made even harder when Leif Davis was shown a red card in the 32nd minute for a poor tackle on Saka.
Trossard added his second of the game in the 69th minute when he finished smartly from inside the area after a well-worked Arsenal short corner.
Substitute Ethan Nwaneri scored a fourth for Arsenal with a deflected shot two minutes from time.
The Gunners had good chances to score more – one for Merino and two for Saka – and Mikel Arteta would have expected them to be taken.
This was Ipswich’s seventh home defeat of 2025, which leaves them clinging on to their Premier League status for one more week.
This victory delayed Liverpool’s inevitable title win but the focus for the Gunners is on their Champions League campaign.
Mikel Arteta is going to be without Thomas Partey for the first leg of their semi-final against Paris St-Germain on 29 April, and took the opportunity to trial a midfield that could take to the pitch for that game.
Declan Rice, who has been so good in his number eight role in recent weeks, was pushed deeper to anchor the Arsenal midfield, while Merino – who has been playing as a makeshift striker – was used in his natural midfield role.
They were joined in the middle by captain Odegaard, who linked up superbly with Saka on the right-hand side of the pitch. The Norway international was involved in both of Arsenal’s first-half goals.
The only concern for the Gunners at Portman Road was that Saka required strapping to his ankle once he was substituted in the 57th minute, as a result of the tackle that led to Davis’ red card, as Arteta looked to protect his key man.
Arsenal take on Crystal Palace next but these games feel like a build-up to their season-defining Champions League assignment.