Arsenal cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory over a beleaguered Ipswich Town side reduced to ten men early in the game. Leandro Trossard’s brace, alongside goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, ensured an afternoon of minimal stress for the visitors as they maintained momentum in their domestic campaign ahead of a looming Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
The match’s tone was set early, with Arsenal establishing control almost immediately. By the time Leif Davis received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Bukayo Saka, the visitors were already two goals ahead. Davis’s dismissal, which came just over 30 minutes into the game, ended any remaining suspense and confirmed the mismatch at Portman Road.
The early goals both stemmed from Arsenal’s persistent attacks down the right flank, with Saka playing a central role in the build-up. His cutbacks led to two similar finishes: the first a scrappy but effective effort from Trossard, who fell while poking the ball into the net, and the second a smooth tap-in from Martinelli, set up by a clever Mikel Merino back-heel. Though Saka wasn’t officially credited with either assist, his influence on the game was undeniable.
Despite drawing the ire of the home fans following Davis’s red card, Saka remained a threat and could have added a goal of his own before halftime, spurning several chances in quick succession. Yet with the match effectively won, the second half offered little in the way of drama.
Arsenal used the opportunity to manage player workload, withdrawing key figures like Saka, Merino, Martinelli, and Declan Rice well before the final whistle. The game doubled as a tactical rehearsal for their upcoming European fixture, with Rice positioned in a deeper holding role and Merino returning to his more natural midfield slot. The changes had little impact on the flow of the match, as Ipswich rarely threatened and Arsenal continued to dictate the tempo.
Ipswich, desperately trying to avoid a heavier defeat, shifted to a defensive 5-3-1 formation in the second half. It briefly stemmed the tide, but Arsenal’s quality still told. Trossard netted his second goal with a neat swivel and finish from close range after a short corner routine, and Nwaneri capped off the win with a deflected strike that wrong-footed the goalkeeper.
While the result delays Liverpool’s seemingly inevitable coronation as Premier League champions, it also serves as a harsh reminder of Ipswich’s fate. With relegation looming and an already grim goal difference, survival is a mathematical possibility but a practical impossibility. Their seventh consecutive home defeat sealed a new unwanted club record, and a return to the Championship appears imminent.
For Arsenal, the match was the perfect low-intensity warm-up ahead of more significant challenges. Unbeaten in 11 games across all competitions, they head into their European semi-final full of confidence and with a squad well-rested from a serene outing at Portman Road.
