Dominant Gunners hide the ball from Ipswich but win by a single goal
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 28.12.24. | 01:21
Not even 70% of the ball possession was enought for Arsenal to clinch a landslide victory
That was one strange game, indeed!
Arsenal dominated against Ipswich Town on Friday night in an unprecedented way, but registered only a 1-0 home triumph at the Emirates thanks to Kai Havertz's first-half winner.
Mikel Arteta's boys had 70% of ball possession, at some point the stats were showing 234-17 in terms of completed passes, the Gunners fired 13 shots and created three big chances, but still managed to score just one goal.
Mohamed Salah (19) and Erling Haaland (18) are the only Premier League players to score more goals across all competitions this season than Kai Havertz (12).
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) December 27, 2024
Eight of them have now come at the Emirates. 🏟️#ARSIPS pic.twitter.com/Q3mbkaa30u
How did that happen? It's hard to tell, so we'll focus on Havertz's three-point-worth goal here.
Gabriel Martinelli's cross from the right was headed out to Leandro Trossard, who passed the ball across the six-yard box and Havertz slotted it on the far post like a true striker into an empty net from four yards.
At this point, we expected Ipswich - the penultimate side on the EPL table - to concede at least two more. Alas, it was a whole different game until the end.
When they couldn't find way past Ipswich defence from open play, the hosts focused on their prime virtue - set-piece routines, creating some wonderful goalscoring opportunities.
3 - Ipswich attempted just three shots tonight; of the seven occasions of a side managing three or fewer shots in a Premier League game this season, three have been against Arsenal, all this month (also Fulham and Everton, 2 shots each). Shutdown. pic.twitter.com/Drwkc3atFo
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2024
Gabriel missed it from three yards out, while Declan Rice's effort was blocked by O'Shea in the last moment.
Thankfully, north Londoners didn't have to worry too much about defending, as their tonight's rival just couldn't fight back and make any sort of attacking danger. The one and only opportunity rose in the stoppage time, but Havertz steped up again, this time in his own area, to block the shot and secure the victory.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 18
Thursday
Manchester City - Everton 1-1 (1-1)
/Silva 14 - Ndiaye 36/
Bournemouth - Crystal Palace 0-0
Chelsea - Fulham 1-2 (1-0)
/Palmer 16 - Wilson 82, Muniz 90+5/
Newcastle - Aston Villa 3-0 (1-0)
/Gordon 2, Isak 59, Joelinton 90+1/
Nott. Forest - Tottenham 1-0 (1-0)
/Elanga 28/
Southampton - West Ham 0-1 (0-0)
/Bowen 59/
Wolverhampton - Man.Utd. 2-0 (0-0)
/Cunha 58, Hwang 90+9/
Liverpool - Leicester 3-1 (1-1)
/Gakpo 45+1, Jones 49, Salah 82 - Ayew 6/
Friday
Brighton - Brentford 0-0
Arsenal - Ipswich 1-0 (1-0)
/Havertz 23/
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