Arsenal are set to begin their EFL Cup campaign in the third round when they visit Ipswich Town, with a place in the next stage at stake.
Gary O’Neil will be pleased with the performances of his players, who have recovered from a difficult start to the season and moved into a respectable position in the league. After opening their campaign with a victory over Sunderland, the Tractor Boys lost their next two matches, although they faced difficult opposition.
Those defeats came against Manchester United at Old Trafford and Liverpool at Portman Road, with both opponents proving too strong for O’Neil’s side. Ipswich returned to winning ways away to Crystal Palace, although they benefited from the dismissal of Eagles defender Axel Disasi. Summer signing Zian Flemming made the most of a late opportunity to secure the victory.
Ipswich began their EFL Cup campaign in the second round, like many Premier League clubs, and secured a convincing victory over Leicester City. They now face one of the toughest possible tests in the third round as Arsenal visit Portman Road. A win for the hosts would be considered a major upset.
Arsenal have continued their flawless start to the new campaign, securing a fourth consecutive Premier League victory and their sixth win across all competitions, including the Community Shield. The Gunners travelled to Sunderland last weekend and were tested by the Black Cats, with the victory far from straightforward.
Sunderland were awarded a controversial second-half penalty, but David Raya saved the spot-kick. Arsenal took the lead when former Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes scored a stunning goal. The Brazilian then played an important role in a late move that resulted in a penalty for the visitors, which Bukayo Saka converted.
That victory kept Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table. Mikel Arteta will now turn his attention to the EFL Cup as Arsenal begin their campaign with a trip to Portman Road. The Arsenal manager will hope to go one better than last season, when his team reached the final before losing to a Nico O’Reilly-inspired Manchester City side. Arsenal have not won the competition since 1993.
Team News & Tactics
Ipswich Town
Gary O’Neil has several concerns to consider, with key player Emersonn having come off against Crystal Palace with a suspected injury. The Brazilian striker suffered from quad tightness, but the manager has played down fears of a serious problem. However, he is unlikely to feature against Arsenal.
Jack Taylor is definitely ruled out with a knee injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks. The club will also assess Azor Matusiwa, who is recovering from a thigh problem.
Beyond those concerns, O’Neil must carefully select his strongest lineup. Cedric Kipre and Jacob Greaves could start in central defence, with Dara O’Shea and Leif Davis operating as the full-backs.
O’Neil is expected to trust Florentino Luis and Marcelino Nunez to control the midfield. Key playmaker Julio Enciso should operate in the advanced attacking midfield role, while Abdul Fatawu and Jaden Philogene provide support from the wings.
Zian Flemming is expected to lead the line. A change to the EFL Cup rules allows players who have already featured in the competition for one club this season to represent another club, meaning the Dutchman is eligible to start for Ipswich.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Scherpen; O’Shea, Kipre, Greaves, Davis; Nunez, Florentino; Fatawu, Enciso, Philogene; Flemming
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta is expected to make significant changes to the team that started against Sunderland, with as many as 10 alterations possible. There was a fresh injury concern after Ben White was withdrawn at half-time, although Jurrien Timber made a timely return and is now expected to start away at Ipswich.
The absences of William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera make it difficult for Arteta to rotate his defence completely, meaning Ezri Konsa could retain his place. Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to replace David Raya in goal, while Myles Lewis-Skelly could start at left-back as Arteta rests Riccardo Calafiori.
Piero Hincapie could replace Gabriel Magalhaes, while Arteta has the option of selecting an entirely new midfield. Weekend goalscorer Bruno Guimaraes is expected to start alongside Martin Zubimendi, with Mikel Merino potentially replacing Martin Odegaard.
The front three could also be completely different from the weekend. Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, and Eberechi Eze could replace Saka, Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis, allowing Arteta to rest several key players.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Timber, Konsa, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Guimaraes; Madueke, Merino, Eze; Gyokeres
Key Stats
- Ipswich Town have conceded nine goals across their last three matches.
- Ipswich are still waiting for their first clean sheet of the season.
- Arsenal have won all six of their matches in the 2026/27 campaign.
- Arsenal have kept five clean sheets in their six games this season.
Player to Watch
Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres has come under scrutiny after failing to start a Premier League match for Arsenal, with Kai Havertz continuing to be Mikel Arteta’s first-choice striker. Although the team have made an excellent start and won every match, several players still have something to prove, including Gyokeres.
After finishing last season as Arsenal’s leading scorer across all competitions, the Swede is still waiting to score his first goal of the new campaign. He started away to Napoli and contributed positively apart from finding the net. The match against Ipswich offers Gyokeres an opportunity to open his account and provide Arteta with another attacking option for the remainder of the season.
Prediction
Ipswich Town 0-2 Arsenal
Ipswich have already caused problems for several teams this season, particularly with their attacking football. However, they could struggle against Arsenal. Home advantage may help galvanise the hosts, but the challenge posed by the Gunners is significantly greater.
Arsenal demonstrated last weekend that they can handle difficult away matches, and Mikel Arteta will not underestimate Ipswich. Although he is expected to make extensive changes to his lineup, the overall quality of the Arsenal squad should be enough to secure progression to the next round and keep a clean sheet.
