Kai Havertz scored the only goal as Arsenal climbed to second place in the Premier League with a narrow 1-0 win over Ipswich Town.
The German's seventh goal of the season proved enough for the hosts at the Emirates Stadium as they condemned their opponents to a fifth defeat in six games.
Arsenal broke the deadlock midway through the first half when Havertz was in the right place to curl in Leandro Trossard's inviting cross.
Gabriel Magalhaes spotted a golden opportunity when he headed wide from three yards out just after the hour mark, but the Gunners had no problems as they calmly cruised to victory.
Mikel Arteta's side leapfrogged Chelsea and Nottingham Forest to finish second, six points behind leaders Liverpool – despite having played an extra game.
Ipswich, meanwhile, remain 19th, three points behind 17th-placed Wolves.
7 – No team has kept more clean sheets (7) or conceded fewer goals (16) in the Premier League this season than Arsenal, with the Gunners shutout in four consecutive home games in the league for the first time since December 2021 mentality to maintain. pic.twitter.com/zRcZ2RrA4A
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2024
Data Debrief: Four consecutive home shutouts for the Gunners
No side has kept more clean sheets (seven) or conceded fewer goals (16) in the Premier League this season than Arsenal, while they have now recorded four consecutive clean sheets in the competition for the first time since December 2021.
Havertz settled the match with his sixth goal in his last seven Premier League appearances against newly promoted opponents, while Arsenal have now won their last thirteen home games against such opponents.
As for Ipswich, they recorded just three shots. Of the seven times a team has managed three or fewer tries in a Premier League match this season, three have come against Arsenal this entire month (also Fulham and Everton, two shots each).
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