Arsenal vs Ipswich Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Arsenal stumbled in the title race this time last year and need to ensure that doesn’t happen this time around as they welcome a struggling Ipswich Town side to the Emirates Stadium.
Kick-off date/time: Friday 27th December, 2024: UK – 8:15pm / US ET – 3:15pm / US PT – 12:15pm
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – USA Network
How to watch online: UK – Amazon Prime / US – Universo
Arsenal Preview: Gunning for more
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal begin the 18th match day of the 2024/25 Premier League season sitting third in the table and, frustratingly, six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game-in-hand, with the Gunners drawing over a third of their games so far this season.
They come into this one on the back of a 5-1 demolition of struggling Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last weekend. Gabriel Jesus backed up a hat-trick in the cup against Palace by notching a brace with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all also scoring.
Ipswich Preview: Tractor Boys need to motor
Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town were always expected to struggle and really should struggle with a squad that has very little Premier League experience but the Tractor Boys have been generally competitive throughout the campaign but they do remain in the bottom three.
That is because they come into this one on the back of being annihilated by Newcastle United by four goals to nil at Portman Road last weekend. Former Norwich City man Jacob Murphy opened the scoring for the Magpies before an Alexander Isak hat-trick made it a rout.
Arsenal Team News: No Saka
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that key man Bukayo Saka, who limped off injured against Crystal Palace, will now be unavailable for ‘many weeks’ with a hamstring injury. As well as Saka, his former England teammate Raheem Sterling is also sidelined.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Havertz; Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard
Unavailable: White (Injured), Tomiyasu (Injured), Saka (Injured), Sterling (Injured)
Questionable: Zinchenko (Injured)
Ipswich Team News: Additional Heading Here
Ipswich Town captain Samy Morsy has picked up a one-match suspension due to picking up a fifth yellow card in that aforementioned to defeat to Newcastle. However, key striker Liam Delap has returned from serving his own one-match ban.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Muric; Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste; Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap
Unavailable: Donacien (Injured), Tuanzebe (Injured), Morsy (Suspended), Ogbene (Injured), Hirst (Injured)
Questionable: Luongo (Injured)
Arsenal vs Ipswich Prediction
Arsenal’s hammering of Crystal Palace showed a capability to adapt without Saka and also have a bit more variety in attack, albeit without the outright sheer quality of the Englishman. They now face an Ipswich side that have made a point of taking the game to anyone they face and that is once again expected to be the case as they travel to north London. Arsenal remain firm favourites but it could end up being quite an entertaining encounter.
Arsenal vs Ipswich Tip: Arsenal to win & over 2.5 goals
