Arsenal has jumped to second place in the Premier League after a chilly Friday night showdown in north London! 🥶⚽ The Gunners secured a 1-0 victory over struggling Ipswich Town, thanks to a first-half goal from Kai Havertz.
Havertz found the back of the net in the 23rd minute, tapping in a sharp pull-back from Leandro Trossard. It was his sixth goal of the season across all competitions! 🎯
Despite missing the creative spark of the injured Bukayo Saka, Arsenal managed to control the game. Ipswich had a brief spell of pressure early in the second half, but it wasn't enough to rattle the Gunners. 💪
Defender Gabriel Magalhães came close to doubling the lead but headed just wide while completely unmarked. Captain Martin Ødegaard danced his way into the box but sent his shot soaring over the bar. So close! 😱
The win puts Arsenal on 36 points, just six behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. They leapfrogged London rivals Chelsea (35 points) and surprising contenders Nottingham Forest (34 points). 🚀
\"Very happy with the victory, with the clean sheet, and with large parts of the game,\" said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. \"We should have scored more, but it is the consistency. The team conceded nothing again.\" 🎙️
Arteta added, \"Considering all the circumstances we had this season, the amount of times we had to play with 10 men, all the injuries that we had, it's good to be in the position that we are, but it's not where we want to be. We want to be first.\" 🏆
Up next, Arsenal will visit Brentford on New Year's Day and Brighton & Hove Albion on January 4. Then, it's two domestic cup games before hosting local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on January 15. Mark your calendars! 📅🔥
Reference(s):
Arsenal climb to second place with 1-0 victory over struggling Ipswich
cgtn.com
