Arsenal climbed to second place in the English Premier League after securing a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Friday evening, wrapping up the 18th round of the competition.
German midfielder Kai Havertz netted the match’s only goal in the 23rd minute.
With the win, Arsenal’s points tally rose to 36, securing second place, six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a postponed match. Meanwhile, Ipswich remains in 19th place with 12 points, just above the relegation zone.
Arsenal completely dominated possession in the first half but struggled to break down Ipswich’s defence in the opening 15 minutes, as the opposition players crowded their penalty area.
The first real threat from Arsenal came in the 19th minute, when Dutch full-back Jurrien Timber dribbled past three defenders before taking a shot, which goalkeeper Muric comfortably saved.
Arsenal’s possession rate was a staggering 92% in the first 20 minutes, and it finally led to the opening goal in the 23rd minute. Belgian Leandro Trossard delivered a pass in front of goal, which Kai Havertz finished from close range to give Arsenal the lead.
Midfielder Declan Rice also had a chance in the 30th minute, testing Muric with a long-range shot that sailed over the Ipswich goal.
Arsenal nearly doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus met a cross from Trossard and fired from a tight angle between the goalkeeper’s legs. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after the referee’s flag was raised.
Despite controlling possession, Arsenal struggled to create further threats, and the first half concluded with the London side leading 1-0.
The Gunners picked up where they left off in the second half, but Havertz missed a chance in the 50th minute when he failed to connect with a cross from Jesus in front of goal.
Arsenal came close again in the 64th minute when Rice’s corner found Gabriel Magalhães, who rose to head the ball, but his effort bounced off the ground and narrowly missed the target.
Substitute Mikel Merino replaced Jesus, and moments later, Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard delivered a corner to the unmarked Rice. Rice’s “flying” shot was blocked by Ipswich’s Liam Delap in the 74th minute.
Ipswich goalkeeper Muric was called into action again in the 77th minute, making an excellent save to deny Merino from inside the penalty area. The final ten minutes saw no significant action, despite Ipswich’s efforts with their substitutions up front.
