The German international Kai Havertz scored his 7th league goal of the season in the 23rd minute of a match that the ‘Gunners’ dominated without ever being able to make the break. L’absence of a clinical scorer in the opposing area could be a serious handicap for Mikel Arteta’s team, who will have to do without Saka for “many weeks”, according to the Spanish Arsenal coach.
In the immediate future, however, the London club, whose last English championship title dates back to 2004, is doing well on the 18th day since Chelsea fell against all expectations on Thursday at home against Fulham (2-1) and gave up their place as runner-up to the ‘Reds’, unplayable at the end of the calendar year.
To compensate for the absence of Saka, Arteta had established Gabriel Martinelli on the right flank of the attack, in the role usually reserved for the England international, while he had driven back to the point Gabriel Jesusauthor of five goals in his last two outings (a hat-trick against Crystal Palace on December 18 in the quarter-final of the League Cup then a double against the same team three days later in the championship).
Ten minutes later, Jesus also found the net but the Brazilian was flagged offside at the start of the action. A header from central defender Gabriel Magalhaes which fled the target (63rd) then a volley from Declan Rice blocked by Dara O’Shea (74th) could have increased the score in favor of the ‘Gunners’, and avoided a tense end to the game where Ipswich pushed without success.
At the start of the evening, Brighton, held to a draw by Brentford 0-0, missed a chance to come back level with Manchester City in 7th place.
Senegal
