Arsenal Prepare for Easter Sunday Clash Against Ipswich Town
The Arsenal first team will be on the road again this Easter Sunday, as they head to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town in a Premier League match. The Gunners are looking to build on their high-profile win against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
According to Arsenal’s official website, this will be the team’s first league visit to Portman Road in over 23 years. The Tractor Boys have a poor record against Arsenal, having never won in 11 previous Premier League meetings between the two teams.
Ipswich Town’s manager, Kieran McKenna, will be under pressure to keep his team in the Premier League. The team is 14 points from safety with just six games left to play. McKenna’s side has struggled to hold onto leads, squandering 27 points from winning positions so far this season.
As Arsenal’s website notes, Ipswich Town’s form at Portman Road has been a major concern, with the team managing just one win at home against Chelsea in December. A defeat against Arsenal would see them set an unwanted club record of seven straight losses at home.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, is aware of the challenges that Ipswich Town poses. As quoted on Arsenal’s website, he said: "I understand where they are at the moment and they’re playing at home and it’s one of the few chances that they have [to survive]. But for us it’s a big game, we need to start to win football matches in the Premier League to at least maintain the position that we are in and to push into the last few games with some hope."
Arteta also praised Ipswich Town’s organisation and the challenges they pose: "They are a really well-organised team. What Kieran McKenna and the staff have done is remarkable and you see every week how they perform and the amount of issues they give to the opposition. So we expect a tough game."
Kieran McKenna also had his say on the upcoming match, as reported by Arsenal’s website: "We have full respect for them. Of course we have to prepare thoroughly and we know the game is going to take a lot, but also we’ve shown against some of the better teams this year that we can be competitive against lots of teams in this division."
In terms of team news, Arsenal will be without Jorginho, who suffered a chest injury against Brentford last week. Long-term absentees Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Gabriel will also miss the game. Riccardo Calafiori is also not available for selection.
Ipswich Town will be without Kalvin Phillips, who is a doubt after picking up a knock last week. Jaden Philogene was forced off against Chelsea with a knee complaint, and Omari Hutchinson has missed the past three matches with a hamstring injury.
Tactical analysis from Arsenal’s website suggests that Ipswich Town will look to catch Arsenal on the break, with centre forwards Liam Delap and George Hurst posing a threat. The Tractor Boys have had more shots than Arsenal from fast breaks this season, scoring six goals.
The match will be refereed by Michael Salisbury, who has been handed just his second-ever Gunners game. The last time he officiated an Arsenal match was in September 2023, when the Gunners won 4-0 at Bournemouth.
Match Facts and Stats
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 14 league games against Ipswich Town, winning the last four without conceding.
- The Gunners have lost just two of their last 25 Premier League away games, going unbeaten in their last 11 since a 1-0 loss at Newcastle United in November.
- Arsenal have won each of their last 10 Premier League games against teams starting the day in the relegation zone by an aggregate score of 30-2.
The match will be broadcast live on various channels around the world. Fans can also tune into Live From N5 for live commentary of the game.
For more information on how to watch the match live on TV, click here.
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