Arsenal 1 Ipswich 0: Gunners may as well drive Prem trophy to Liverpool after making meal of beating Tractor Boys
IF we are going to have some sort of a title race, then it is up to Arsenal to really raise their game.
But without Bukayo Saka in their team, you really have to wonder whether Mikel Arteta’s mob are capable of giving Liverpool manager Arne Slot some sleepless nights.
On this evidence, they may as well drive the Premier League trophy up to Merseyside now.
Kai Havertz scored his 12th goal of the season against an Ipswich side who failed to land a glove on their opponents but defended stubbornly.
The fact Arsenal made a meal of beating such a limited team does raise some questions over whether they can close this enormous gap at the top.
The fact Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League - with a game in hand - merely underlines how much better Slot’s team have been this season.
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While Arsenal have to keep on plugging away, they must still hope for a major blip from the leaders and at this stage, it still seems unlikely.
After squeezing past Kieran McKenna’s team, Arsenal now have away trips to Brentford and Brighton and once again, Saka’s genius on the right will be sorely missed.
Maybe, this game was further evidence for Arteta to persuade his board to dip into the January transfer market.
Arteta switched Gabriel Martinelli to the right with Leonardo Trossard, who delivered the assist for the first goal, starting out on the left.
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But this was still not particularly impressive stuff from an Arsenal team who really hoped that this year, would be THEIR year.
Former midfield favourite Santi Cazorla was welcomed on to the pitch before the game and the crowd sang his name at regular intervals.
Arsenal ratings vs Ipswich
By Katherine Walsh
ARSENAL leapfrogged Chelsea back into second in the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over Ipswich.
Kai Havertz's close-range finish midway through the first half proved to be the difference between the title-chasing Gunners and relegation-threatened Tractor Boys.
Here's how SunSport's Katherine Walsh rated the Arsenal players at the Emirates Stadium…
David Raya - 5
Cut a lonely figure and must have been cold standing on his goal-line for most of the first half as his team-mates enjoyed 84 per cent possession.
Had his first touch on 31 minutes but was called upon more in the second half as Ipswich grew into the game.
Jurrien Timber - 6
Got the fans on their feet with a glorious run through the middle of the park inside 19 minutes, but his limp long range shot was easily kept out by Muric.
Clearly had a licence to roam, cutting in from full-back and driving up the pitch.
William Saliba - 7
Joined Gabriel in the highest line set-up of the season. The pair of them were at the edge of Muric's box for most of the first half.
The Frenchman was solid in dealing with a boisterous Liam Delap.
Gabriel - 8
Great game for the Brazilian to ease back into 90 minutes after starting against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Caused his usual nuisance in the opposition area from corners but missed a sitter from a Rice set-piece in the 64th minute.
Myles Lewis-Skelly - 7
Getting more and more impressive each week. The way he moves with that low centre of gravity makes him so hard to dispossess.
But a poor clearance saw Ipswich enjoy a first spell of possession before the hour mark.
The 18-year-old was poked and prodded by Ipswich striker Delap and Kalvin Phillips at times but dealt with it well.
Declan Rice - 7
Rice was pushed into a defensive No6 role but didn't have to stay there long.
Energetic as always and added another level of attack he got his foot on the ball and won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the area.
Kai Havertz - 8
Officially back in midfield in Saka's absence after having played most of the season up top.
But the German was in the perfect elusive centre-forward’s position to tap home with a breakthrough opener inside 23 minutes.
Rotated and exchanged the No9 role - perhaps Arteta has found a new partnership that may see them through this spell without Saka.
Martin Odegaard - 6
Rare off evening for the Arsenal captain but nothing too drastic. Uncharacteristic air ball inside six minutes and wasn't as sharp in his passing.
Perhaps missing the chemistry he has with Saka and lost the ball cheaply at times.
Gabriel Martinelli - 6
All eyes were on the winger as he filled in for Saka on the right-hand side.
The Brazilian perhaps lacks the directness of the Gunners’ starboy, but he saw plenty of the ball and linked up well with Jesus.
Whipped the first ball in for Havertz's goal which came out to Trossard who provided the assist.
Leandro Trossard - 7
Started on the left and kept the ball alive to steal a yard on Ben Johnson and provide Havertz with a wicked cross and his 12th goal of the season.
Troubled Ipswich's Johnson with his direct running and tireless work rate throughout.
Gabriel Jesus - 5
Jesus clearly had the bit between his teeth at the moment after last week’s goal rush.
Couldn’t quite hold his run well enough when breaking through after 34 minutes for his offside goal. Perhaps over eager at that moment.
Looked disappointed when he was subbed off with 20 minutes remaining.
Although now aged 40, he is - remarkably - still playing in the second tier of Spanish football for Real Oviedo and is only over here because he is on a winter break.
He picked up a couple of FA Cup winners’ medals with Arsenal and would dearly love it if his former team-mate - and close friend - Arteta was finally able to win the title.
Such was the pace of the game throughout that Cazorla could easily have slotted into the home team’s midfield without any problems.
This was Ipswich’s first-ever Premier League trip to the Emirates although their last win at Arsenal came way back in 1979 when Arnold Muhren and Allan Hunter were the scorers in a 2-0 victory.
Those were heady days for Ipswich when seasons in European competition were standard but now all they would love is a second successive season in the Premier League.
Yet the 4-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday was their best proper hammering so despite being dominated, at least they avoided another battering.
McKenna reverted to the back-three system which sprung a surprise for a 2-1 win at Spurs on November 10 but a repeat never looked likely.
To illustrate Arsenal’s dominance in the first quarter of the game, they had a staggering 91 per cent of possession. Yes, 91 per cent.
The problem was that they kept trying to walk the ball into the net and their only chance was a long-range shot by Jurrien Timber straight at Ipswich goalkeeper Aro Muric.
Yet finally, and predictably, Arsenal found a way past all the blue shirts who were blocking the goal.
Visiting defender Ben Johnson failed to cut out a decent cross from Trossard and Havertz was literally standing on the line for a simple tap-in.
Yet while he did not have much of a chance for that one, keeper Muric got lucky when he was somehow beaten at his near-post by Gabriel Jesus who was then flagged offside.
In the second half, Ipswich had a bit more of the ball without really hurting Arteta’s team.
Arsenal somehow failed to make it 2-0 when Gabriel Magalhaes headed wide from a couple of yards out.
Martin Odegaard danced his way past a few Ipswich players before seeing his shot deflected for a corner, Declan Rice’s volley was blocked by Dara O’Shea and sub Mikel Merino had a shot well saved by Muric.
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This was hardly a sitter for Arteta.
But even so, you get the feeling that if he is to win a trophy this season it will be the Cup... Liverpool look home and dry in the Premier League.