Ipswich 0-4 Arsenal: Premier League – live reaction (2025)

I’ll leave you with Ben Bloom’s match report. Thanks for joining me, and happy Easter. Byeee!

Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s verdict from Stamford Bridge:

Elsewhere, Chelsea’s women are taking on Barcelona – join Yara El-Shaboury for the Women’s Champions League semi-final.

No title party at the King Power, but the hosts need to beat Liverpool or they’ll be officially relegated. So, er, there’s that. Join Will Unwin:

More competitive news from Simon McMahon, who’s watching the Scottish Cup semi-final. “After 33 minutes of the first half, Saint Johnstone would have been fairly pleased to be holding Celtic at 0-0. Half time at Hampden, Celtic 4-0 St Johnstone.”

Fulham 1-2 Chelsea
Man Utd 0-1 Wolves

Wolves are officially safe – and level on points with United – after winning at Old Trafford. Chelsea’s late comeback boosts their top-five hopes, and sees Forest drop to sixth before they host Spurs tomorrow.

Arsenal had to avoid defeat to prolong the title race, and that never looked in doubt once Leonardo Trossard scored after 14 minutes. Gabriel Martinelli finished from Mikel Merino’s brilliant backheel and Leif Davis was sent off to end the game as a contest before half-time.

Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri added gloss on a very comfortable afternoon, and a result that leaves Ipswich needing a miracle to avoid returning to the Championship after just one season.

92 mins: Another Arsenal corner, played short again, and Zinchenko beams his shot a couple of feet over the bar.

91 mins: We’re into the second of four added minutes. Conor Chaplin has come on to replace Sam Morsy. Blow the whistle, ref!

A dramatic late turnaround at Craven Cottage! Chelsea were a goal down but Tyrique George levelled, before Pedro Neto grabbed a likely winner in stoppage time. It’s Fulham 1-2 Chelsea …

And after working the ball around the Ipswich area, Arsenal get their fourth! It’s Ethan Nwaneri, whose shot deflects wildly off O’Shea to give Palmer no chance.

87 mins: Sterling’s turn to go close, with his shot from close range turned over the bar. Arsenal corner …

86 mins: Odegaard hits the post! Ipswich repel the free kick but Odegaard then fires a low shot from the edge of the area, off the inside of Alex Palmer’s post.

85 mins: Morsy is penalised for a foul on Zinchenko and tells Craig Kavanagh he “got the ball”, which is a) not true and b) besides the point anyway.

83 mins: Double scorer Trossard is off to a rousing reception from the away fans. He’s replaced by Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, a 22-year-old striker making his Premier League debut here.

82 mins: Changes for Ipswich, with Delap replacing the hard-working Hirst and Massimo Luongo on for Jens Cajuste.

80 mins: Lewis-Skelly combines with Trossard before his shot is blocked by Jacob Greaves. Both Ipswich centre-backs have refused to throw in the towel.

If Wolves can hold on to their lead, that would leave Ipswich (and Leicester, who host Liverpool after this) with only a mathematical chance of staying up – they’d be 15 points behind West Ham with 15 to play for, and a goal difference that’s 19 off the Hammers.

77 mins: Sterling opts to try and go around O’Shea rather than shoot, but is flagged offside anyway. Liam Delap could be about to get a run-out for Ipswich.

75 mins: An Ipswich foray upfield ends with George Hirst unable to find a teammate with a cross from the right.

It’s not the game we’re watching but … oh my! Pablo Sarabia’s free kick put Wolves in front at Old Trafford.

74 mins: Lewis-Skelly looks to be stepping into midfield with Zinchenko, while Tierney plays at left-back.

72 mins: Rice makes way alongside Martinelli; they’re replaced by Kieran Tierney and Raheem Sterling. Arsenal now with three competent left-backs on the field together.

71 mins: Declan Rice may get to put his feet up for the last 20 minutes or so, with more Arsenal changes coming. “We’ll never play you again!” is the chant from the away end towards Ipswich fans.

Rice’s cross is cut out by Tuanzebe and from the corner, Rice rolls a pass into Trossard, who drills his shot into the far corner. The Belgian doubles up, and Arsenal are probably not losing this game.

67 mins: Arsenal have 79% possession, which would be a record for a single game this season if they can maintain it. They win a couple of corners before Martinelli’s shot is blocked. Lewis-Skelly intervenes to stop Hirst running on to a loose ball, and Arsenal come again …

65 mins: Odegaard tries to slip a pass into Trossard’s path, but it’s smartly intercepted. Arsenal keep the ball for a spell, and on Sky co-comms, Chris Sutton suggests that we should just end the game now.

64 mins: Palmer takes a long free kick from the centre circle which is nodded into Jack Taylor’s path. He flicks the ball past one defender but can’t get a clean shot away on the stretch.

It’s still Fulham 1-0 Chelsea and Manchester United 0-0 Wolves, by the way.

62 mins: Ipswich are standing up well so far in this second half. Odegaard tries to use the crowded penalty area as a guide to curl one into the far corner, but Palmer is down to smother it.

“Stoke fans are STILL booing Ramsey,” reports Zach Neeley. It seems the Cardiff player (and now interim manager) got an earful during the sides’ FA Cup game in February – a full 13 years after the Shawcross “incident”.

58 mins: White fizzes in a cross that’s too close to Palmer. before Greaves looks to whip a pass forward to Hirst, very much plowing the proverbial lone furrow out there now.

57 mins: Arsenal changes: Ethan Nwaneri is on for Saka, with Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing Merino. I would guess that Zinchenko will move into midfield from left-back.

55 mins: As you might be able to tell, the game hasn’t really gone anywhere in the last few minutes – but George Hirst almost changes that here! Played in behind the defence but very much on his own, he cuts inside and sends a low shot spinning just wide!

“Back in the day, second division Wrexham played in the Cup Winners’ Cup as Welsh Cup winners. Does that count?” asks Frank Clarke. It certainly does – and let’s not forget Merthyr Tydfil, who won the Welsh Cup in 1987 and went on to beat Atalanta at home in Europe – while playing in England’s sixth tier.

50 mins: Odegaard, completely dictating affairs this afternoon, looks for Merino, who is outnumbered in the penalty area. There is then a spot of afters as Morsy reacts angrily to Merino’s challenge, and the Arsenal man flops theatrically to the ground.

49 mins: Since beating Chelsea at home on 30 December, Ipswich’s league form at Portman Road reads 0-2, 0-6, 1-2 (against Southampton!), 1-4 (against Spurs!) 2-4, 1-2 and now 0-2*.

48 mins: From another Arsenal corner, Martinelli’s shot is closed down. Ipswich are finding it so hard to get out from underneath the visitors’ high press, though.

47 mins: A neat passing move between Rice, Zinchenko and Odegaard frees the latter to cross at the near post – but Palmer is there to gather.

46 mins: This could be 45 minutes of attack v defence; Arsenal are straight on the offensive and after a nice touch from Zinchenko, Martinelli wins a corner off O’Shea.

We’re off! Kieran McKenna makes a half-time change, with Jack Taylor replacing Julio Enciso.

“It almost certainly won’t happen, but if either Spurs or Man Utd were to win the Europa League AND get relegated, what happens? Would they become the first Championship club to play in Europe? Have any clubs managed that previously?” asks Kieran McKintosh.

This is my kind of question, Kieran. If that were to transpire for either team, they would still play in the Champions League next season. There are previous examples of second-tier English sides in the Europa League or equivalents – Wigan (2013-14) and Birmingham (2011-12), to give two recent-ish examples.

“The Ipswich crowd booing Bukayo Saka for the gross negligence in allowing his Achilles to be assaulted by one of their players – it brings to mind Stoke City fans’ equivalent assessment of Aaron Ramsey deliberately breaking his leg against the studs of one of their players,” notes Charles Antaki. “And Stoke weren’t even being relegated at the time.”

Arsenal need to avoid defeat here to ensure the title race doesn’t end today. The good news is that, after Trossard and Martinelli goals and a red card for Ipswich’s Leif Davis, their chances of losing this game are now about 0.00001%.

49 mins: Saka can’t latch on to an overhit White pass. Blow the whistle, ref! At Craven Cottage, it’s Fulham 1-0 Chelsea at the break.

48 mins: We’re in the midst of five added minutes, and everyone looks fairly keen to get down the tunnel. At Old Trafford, it’s Manchester United 0-0 Wolves at half time.

46 mins: A scrappy old patch of play culminates in Hirst barging Kiwior to the floor. “Re: Davis’ red card. Is that what’s called an agricultural challenge from the Tractor Boys?” honks Graham Fulcher.

44 mins: George Hirst wins a foul in the centre circle, greeted by huge cheers from the aggrieved Ipswich fans. Morsy looks to hoist it forwards to Hirst, who nods it back towards Burgess – who is penalised for a foul on Merino.

43 mins: Saka misses a third decent chance in quick succession, getting a boot to Trossard’s cross but sending his effort spinning wide.

41 mins: Saka’s every touch is still being booed vociferously for the crime of being trodden on by Davis, and there’s big cheers as his cross is claimed by Palmer.

38 mins: Saka at least appears to be moving fine after that Davis tackle, which will be good news for Mikel Arteta. Odegaard looks to scoop the ball into the area, where Alex Palmer collects.

37 mins: Another lovely, deft touch from Merino springs the Ipswich offside trap, leaving Saka one-on-one – but with the goal gaping, he puts his shot wide!

36 mins: Saka now being heartily and undeservedly booed, and he almost quiets the home fans down with a curling effort from out wide that swoops just beyond the far post.

35 mins: Credit to Ipswich fans who booed the original decision, then booed louder when replays were shown on the big screen – managing to avoid the evidence of their own eyes.

34 mins: Jack Clarke is the unlucky attacker who gets the hook, allowing Cameron Burgess to come on and bolster the defence.

It goes from bad to worse for Ipswich, with Leif Davis shown a straight red card for a frustrated lunge on Bukayo Saka. He has little cause for complaint, treading on Saka’s heel with the ball long gone.

Fulham 1-0 Chelsea: Marco Silva’s side saw an early goal chalked off for offside, but they do now lead through Alex Iwobi.