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Arsenal recently triumphed 3-2 over Crystal Palace in the English League Cup, advancing to the semi-finals. The two teams met again last weekend in the Premier League, where Arsenal currently sits in 3rd place, 4 points behind Chelsea in 2nd and 6 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Earlier in December, Arsenal dropped points in matches against Fulham (1-1) and Everton (0-0), allowing 4th-placed Nottingham Forest to reduce the gap to just 2 points.
Ipswich has had a tough season, struggling to avoid relegation. Currently in 18th place, the first relegation spot, they have yet to secure a home win. They were on a three-match losing streak before finally securing a 1-2 victory at Wolverhampton two weeks ago. Ipswich hosted Newcastle last Saturday, hoping to improve their fortunes.
Arsenal will be missing several key players, including full-backs White, Calafiori, and Zinchenko, along with backup Tomiyasu, all sidelined due to injury. Midfielder Rice may return after recovering from a physical issue. Saka and Havertz, who have each scored five Premier League goals, will continue to play a key role in Arsenal’s attack.
Ipswich will make the trip to Emirates Stadium with striker Delap (6 goals) returning from suspension. However, they will still be without forward Ogbene, who has yet to score, and center forward Hirst, who has been absent for a month. Full-back Tuanzebe is also unavailable, and senior defender Greaves may miss the match. Irishman Szmodics, with 3 goals in the Premier League, remains an important figure in their attack alongside Delap.
Prediction
Ipswich has struggled on the road, losing nine of their 13 League One matches. Arsenal, on the other hand, has regained momentum, winning two of their last three league games.
Prediction: Arsenal 4-0 Ipswich.
