Arsenal moved up to second in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Liverpool, as Kai Havertz’s first-half goal secured a narrow 1-0 win over Ipswich at the Emirates Stadium.
It seemed Arsenal were set for a comfortable night when Havertz turned home Leandro Trossard’s cross from close range in the 23rd minute for his seventh Premier League goal of the campaign.
But the Gunners, without Bukayo Saka, whose hamstring injury is set to keep him out for more than two months after he underwent surgery, were unable to capitalise on their dominance, spurning a series of second-half chances and ensuring the 19th-placed visitors remained in the game until the last.
Gabriel Magalhaes missed Arsenal’s best opportunity, heading a Declan Rice corner wide from a few yards out when it looked easier to score, while Martin Odegaard and substitute Mikel Merino were denied by Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.
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Sky Sports News’ Danyal Khan and Nick Wright look at how Arsenal coped in their first match without star man Bukayo Saka against Ipswich.
Arsenal gave little away at the other end, with Ipswich only registering three shots, none of which troubled David Raya, but Mikel Arteta, who fielded Gabriel Martinelli in Saka’s position on the right, will hope they find more cutting edge for their upcoming trips to Brentford and Brighton as they try to keep pace with Liverpool.
Gabriel reacts after sending a close-range header wide of the Ipswich goal
The win sends Arsenal above Chelsea, who lost to Fulham on Boxing Day, and means they are six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Ipswich remain 19th but earned a warm ovation from the travelling fans for their efforts in the game.
Arteta: Saka facing more than two months out after surgery
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta revealed Bukayo Saka has undergone surgery to repair his hamstring after the game, saying the forward will miss a minimum of two months in a significant blow to the Gunners title hopes.
“He had a procedure and everything went well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” he said. “I think it will be more than two months. I don’t know exactly how much longer.
“I think it will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal in the first week or so, the mobility of it. Let’s see. It’s very difficult to say.”
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed that Bukayo Saka will be absent for more than two months after undergoing surgery
There was better news on Raheem Sterling’s injury, however. Arteta said: “We have to see this week how he evolves but we expected the knee injury to probably take longer than actually the way it is evolving in the last few days,” said Arteta of Sterling. “Hopefully that is good because we need him.”
On Arsenal’s performance, Arteta added: “I’m very happy with the victory and the clean sheet and parts of the game. It was a very difficult opponent after a long run of games. It was about margins, and we could have scored more but the most important thing is how we handled the end of the game.
“We should have scored more but our defensive behaviours were outstanding and that will always give us the chance to win games.”
Analysis: Arteta has work to do to find formula without Saka
Arteta promised Arsenal would be “different” without Saka. He knows he has no direct replacement for the 23-year-old. On this evidence, though, it might take a bit of time to find a working formula in his absence as he begins a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Martin Odegaard strikes a shot on target against Ipswich
Martinelli was chosen to assume the role of Arsenal’s right-sided winger having impressed after moving across following Saka’s withdrawal in the win at Crystal Palace but he struggled, not registering a single shot, creating any chances or even completing any dribbles.
The goal originated from the opposite side of the pitch, with Trossard bursting away from Ben Johnson and sending a teasing cross into the six-yard box, where Havertz pounced. But Arsenal continued to direct a higher proportion of attacks down their right.
Arsenal sent 49 per cent of their attacks down the right flank
Martinelli was not the only one they looked to. Martin Odegaard offered support and Arteta’s front line was more fluid than usual, with Gabriel Jesus and Havertz also popping up on that flank, as well as interchanging positions with each other before Jesus was substituted.
Their movement caused problems for Ipswich at times, but Arsenal generally struggled to carve out openings, save for a spell in the second half when they peppered the visitors’ goal.
In the end, it did not matter. Arsenal got the result they needed to move above Chelsea and keep in touch with Liverpool at the top of the table. But there is work to do as they gear up for an extended spell without their best and most effective attacking player.
‘Special’ Lewis-Skelly earns praise
Mikel Arteta described Myles Lewis-Skelly as “special” after he produced another assured performance at left-back at the Emirates Stadium
The 18-year-old kept his place in the side despite the presence of four left-backs – Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior – on the bench.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is challenged by Ben Johnson and Omari Hutchinson
“He is a special character – he has the capacity to ask certain questions that I don’t have the answers to,” Arteta told Amazon Prime.
“He’s well ahead of his age, so mature. He has a good environment and a really good family. He’s adapted well to the way we’re playing. Credit to him.”
The 18-year-old has shown outstanding composure and technical ability throughout his run in the side, completing all but five of his 180 passes across four starts.
Carry on in the same way and Arsenal’s other left-backs will find it hard to dislodge him from the team.
McKenna: We worked hard to keep it competitive
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna:
“We knew tonight we needed to be solid and resilient in the game. We wanted to give ourselves a chance to stay in the game in the first half and give ourselves a chance to attack it more in the second half.
“We ended up deeper than we wanted in the first half. But the way we stabilised and managed to dial it up a bit in the second half, we got the game into a really healthy position, pushing for an equaliser.
“I think between that first goal and the end of the game, there was an awful lot of work done to keep it competitive.”
