Key events
Mikel Arteta speaks to Amazon. “We have had an extra day off and good preparation … we have a really difficult match ahead … Bukayo Saka is going to be out for many, many weeks … it is a good opportunity for the rest of the squad to step up … who wants to take more responsibility.”
Kieran McKenna talks to Amazon Prime. “Ben Johnson is a versatile player … there will be phases when we defend as a back five … sometimes a back four … it will be a tough night but hopefully a good night … the reaction [to the 4-0 defeat against Newcastle] has been really good at the training ground … the game got away from us … the first in a while … it’s a new game and a new challenge … we want to take it head on … we have to maintain our culture … we have to adapt and be competitive … it’s been a big journey for our players … last time we fell short, tonight we can go again … we’ve analysed Arsenal as well as we can … we’ll have to see off a lot of set plays.”
Arsenal make two changes to their starting XI after the 5-1 win at Palace. Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are in; Thomas Partey drops to the bench while Bukayo Saka is hamstrung.
Ipswich make five changes after their 4-0 home loss to Newcastle. Liam Delap, Kalvin Phillips, Ben Johnson, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves take the places of Harry Clarke, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin, who are benched, and Cameron Burgess and captain Sam Morsy, who miss out altogether.
The teams
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Rice, Havertz, Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Neto, Tierney, Partey, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Merino, Calafiori, Nwaneri.
Ipswich Town: Muric, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Johnson, Hutchinson, Szmodics, Delap.
Subs: Walton, Harrison Clarke, Burns, Chaplin, Taylor, Al Hamadi, Townsend, Broadhead, Jack Clarke.
Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire).
VAR: Alex Chilowicz
Preamble
There’s no need to be overly dramatic. Title-chasing Arsenal may be nine points behind current leaders Liverpool, but both teams still have 21 matches to play, so nobody is in must-win territory yet. Having said that, Mikel Arteta’s side won’t feel too chipper about themselves if they don’t claim all three points this evening, coming off the back of a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace, and playing a team who have just been thumped 4-0 at home by Newcastle. Arsenal – who are unbeaten at home this season – are 7-1 on tonight, while you can get Ipswich – who haven’t won this fixture since 1979, the days of Arnold Muhren, Mick Mills and Bobby Robson – at 20s. So this looks a shoo-in. Then again, you never know in the Premier League, and Ipswich may be in fast-and-loose mode, viewing this game as a free hit in their quest to extricate themselves from relegation danger. We’ll find out soon enough. Kick-off is at 8.15pm GMT. It’s on!
