Mikel Arteta has likely endured more challenging Easter egg hunts than the stroll his Arsenal side enjoyed at Portman Road. Aside from a fleeting moment of concern over Bukayo Saka’s Achilles, raked by an overzealous Leif Davis—who was promptly sent off—this was as relaxed an afternoon as the Arsenal boss could have hoped for, especially with a looming Champions League semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain later this month.
This 4-0 demolition of a limp Ipswich Town side ensured Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions, and kept the Premier League title race simmering for another week. Liverpool may still be odds-on favourites to claim the crown, but for now, the door remains slightly ajar.
As for Ipswich, the writing has been on the wall for weeks, and this match did little to change that narrative. While not mathematically relegated, even a perfect run-in is unlikely to salvage their top-flight status, with their dismal goal difference weighing heavily against them. Manager Kieran McKenna acknowledged as much pre-match, and his team played like a side resigned to the drop.
By the time Davis was shown a straight red card—just over half an hour in—for a reckless tackle that had more malice than merit, Ipswich were already two goals down and facing a task that bordered on hopeless. Arsenal, rarely needing to move out of second gear, were firmly in control from start to finish.
Fast Start, Early Finish
The match was effectively over as a contest inside the first 32 minutes. Arsenal had identified Ipswich’s right side as a weak link, and Saka’s relentless pace and directness down that flank wreaked havoc.
The opener came when Saka squared the ball into the box. A slight touch from Martin Ødegaard guided it into the path of Leandro Trossard, who stabbed home while tumbling backwards. Moments later, Saka drove forward again, this time teeing up Mikel Merino, whose slick back-heel found Gabriel Martinelli at the far post for a tap-in.
Neither goal officially credited Saka with an assist, but both were born from his brilliance.
After Davis’s dismissal, boos echoed from the stands directed at Saka, but the replays made the decision irrefutable. The Ipswich supporters had little else to hold on to—perhaps only the small consolation that Saka, despite three decent efforts, didn’t get on the scoresheet himself.
Arteta Experiments as Ipswich Collapse
With the game settled before halftime, Arteta rotated smartly. Saka, Merino, Martinelli, and Declan Rice were all withdrawn early to preserve energy ahead of the PSG showdown.
Arteta also used the opportunity to rehearse a likely Champions League setup, deploying Rice in a deeper No. 6 role and shifting Merino into a more central midfield position. Rice, facing minimal resistance aside from a few early tussles with Julio Enciso, had a quiet but commanding afternoon.
Ipswich’s misery deepened after the break. Between the 9th and 56th minutes, they failed to register a single shot. McKenna’s switch to a 5-3-1 was more damage control than tactical ambition.
Even so, Arsenal added two more—both from well-drilled short corners. First, Trossard, left inexplicably unmarked in the six-yard box, spun and smashed in his second. Then Ethan Nwaneri cut inside and saw his deflected shot ripple the net, sealing a thoroughly one-sided scoreline.
One Eye on Paris, One Foot in the Title Race
Arsenal look sharp, focused, and brimming with confidence at the business end of the season. Arteta could scarcely have asked for better preparation ahead of their European semi-final, nor a more accommodating domestic fixture to maintain rhythm without risking fatigue.
Ipswich, meanwhile, sank to a seventh straight home defeat, the worst such run in their history at Portman Road. For their fans, the Championship can’t come soon enough—if only to stop the bleeding.
This wasn’t a contest. It was a Premier League procession, and Arsenal marched through it without a bead of sweat.
