Who will be taking up that mantle? Set piece tsar Nicolas Jover, yes, I did just call him that, will likely have had a few sleepless nights trying to figure out the solution. Perhaps it will be as simple as Odegaard taking them?
20:10
Arsenal 0-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
Kieran McKenna, Ipswich boss, pre-match presser:
Well he’s certainly done that in the last two games. He’s not going to be just in isolation a player. The way we’ve done it has been collectively and we’ve been very strong the last few years at scoring a lot of goals from various players and sharing the responsibility across the team.
Ipswich are winless in their last 11 away league games against Arsenal (D4 L7), losing the last four in a row. Their last such victory was in August 1979 (2-0 under Bobby Robson).
21:52, 80′
TRIPLE CHANGE: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
It’s been noticeable how physical Ipswich have been in the opening 10 minutes or so. Any semblance of a 50-50 and they are going in hard on their opposite number, sometimes legally but more often than not ending up giving a free-kick away. An early show of intent from McKenna’s men.
You always have to see from two different perspectives; one is the results and the other is performances. When the performances are good we are calm because we know the results will come back.
We know only results count in this business and we are very self-critical, analysing each game and looking to stay with our identity.
Substitutions are incoming as McKenna looks to trouble the hosts.
19:32, 1′
KICK-OFF: Brighton 0-0 Brentford
By Tum Balogun
21:26, 54′
YELLOW CARD: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (Havertz)
By Tum Balogun
19:20
Warm-ups underway at the Amex
By Tum Balogun
It looks misty out there but nowhere near as bad as Anfield last night. We’ll all be able to actually see the action tonight. The clash gets underway at 8:15pm in north London.
Changes from both managers ahead of the last 20 minutes of the clash. Clarke comes on for Szmodics for the visitors and Jesus departs for Merino for the Gunners.
19:02
Breaking:Arsenal team news: Rice returns to staring XI
By Tum Balogun
Magic feet from the Arsenal skipper nearly doubles the lead. Odegaard dances through the Ipswich challenges cuts inside on his left foot and unleashes a strike that is tipped over by Muric. That’s more like from the Gunners.
18:18
McKenna: ‘It is a chance to show our togetherness, our spirit and resilience’
By Tum Balogun
Gabriel Jesus has found his shooting boots in recent weeks. If this was Easter I’d make a resurrection joke but perhaps saying he’s been reborn also works at Christmas.
Arsenal welcome Ipswich to the Emirates, looking to capitalise on Chelsea’s slip-up and move into second place. We also have Brighton’s entertaining clash against Brentford at the Amex.
I thought he was man of the match against Nottingham Forest. I thought he was the best player on the pitch. What I liked from that game was he said ‘give me the ball, I will make things happen’. He was dangerous and very positive and creative. I’m really happy with that. Things do seem to have been clicking more.
21:15, 84′
Brighton 0-0 Brentford
By Tum Balogun
The news in the days that have followed has been worrying, to say the least. As reported by Mail Sport’s SAMI MOKBEL, Saka’s issue could be a very serious one.
Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton boss, Amazon Prime:
18:32
How things stand
By Tum Balogun
It’s been a bright start from Ipswich. aside from that early chance, they’ve won a couple of free-kicks and a carrying themselves like a side who believe they ca get something from this game.
Another knock-on effect of Saka’s injury is the impact that it will have on Arsenal’s deadly corner kicks. The Englishman normally swings them in from the right, while Rice delivers from the left.
Feel like Arsenal could be sleepwalking into a disaster here. Ipswich are growing in confidence and enjoying more and more of the ball. They’ve even managed to break the Arsenal press on a couple of occasions.
We’re into stoppage time at the Amex and it’s end-to-end stuff. This hasn’t been a 0-0 kind of game.
Unfortunately for them, there’s been nothing to test Raya but it will provide some confidence if they can get to the last 10 minutes within one.
The half-time whistle goes at the Amex with the game goalless and I’m not sure how. Brentford had the ball in the back of the net but Wissa’s effort was disallowed for a very tight offside.
And there it is. The constant pressure finally sees the Gunners take the lead and it came via the London man Kai Havertz. I told you he loves to score in the capital.
21:43, 69′
Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
Arsenal can move into second place, six points behind the leaders with a win, while Ipswich are in danger of getting cut adrift in 19th. At the Amex, Brighton can join City, Fulham and Astn Villa on 28 points and Bretford could climb above Tottenham and their opponents if they can fix their away form.
McKenna is going for broke. Johnson, Cajuster and Delap depart. Al-Hamadi, Taylor and Broadhead enter the action with 10 minutes of normal time to play.
So too does the recent record of Brighton, who have now gone seven games without a win in the Premier League.
19:01
Quiet before the storm
By Tum Balogun
The pattern of this match has already begun to take shape. Arsenal playing the ball around their backline, trying to find openings in the Ipswich defence, while the visitors look to create chances on the break.
We need to show the right mentality, first of all. It is a chance to show our togetherness, our spirit and resilience.
Our organisation is going to have to be really good and we are going to have to show bravery in moments of the game as well to take them on in the way we want to.
Brentford have been under the cosh, soaking up so much pressure but they’ve only gone and taken the lead. Or have they? There’s a VAR check after Bretford’s break led to Wissa smashing the ball into the back of the net.
21:10
‘This feels like the place you go to sleep off the excesses of Christmas dinner’
By Oliver Holt At The Emirates
Saka is not the only winger at Emirates currently out injured. Summer signing Raheem Sterling is also missing through injury. That leaves the Arsenal boss in a spot of bother, mercifully, the January transfer window is just around the corner.
20:25
Arsenal 0-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
Youngster Lewis Skelly continues at left back and Jesus just can’t be left out until he stops scoring, can he?
20:38, 23′
Goal: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (Havertz 23′)
By Tum Balogun
The Gunners have had more different goalscorers in the Premier League this season (14), with Gabriel Jesus and Declan Rice netting their first goals of the campaign last time out against Crystal Palace.
This match feels like the place you go to sleep off the excesses of Christmas dinner. Arsenal are going through the motions because, so far, that is all they have needed to do.
21:10
Arsenal’s dominance in numbers
By Tum Balogun
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss, pre-match presser:
The last thing they need right now is to be on the end of another thrashing.
The Englishman makes way for Partey as we near the end of this contest.
18:06
Another night of festive fun
By Tum Balogun
We’re almost ready to go at the Emirates. The players are about to emerge from the tunnel ahead of this clash. Arsenal are, of course, the overwhelming favourites but Ipswich have already tasted victory in north London this season.
March has been out with a knee injury. You’d be surprised to see him get minutes tonight but it’s good to see him back involved.
This one has had a bit of a pre-season vibe about it, really? Arsenal in control and it looks unlikely there will be a fright under the Friday night lights.
21:01
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
20:30, 14′
SHOT BLOCKED! Arsenal 0-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
That means that Clarke, Burgess, Morsy, Burns and Chaplin make way for the trip to the Emirates.
21:22, 50′
SHOT BLOCKED! Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
19:44
Szmodics: ‘It’s a dream for some of us lads to play here’
By Tum Balogun
19:48
‘Wissa is so unlucky to be offside because the touch and finish is brilliant’
By Aadam Patel At The Amex Stadium
You can almost hear the collective intake of breath around the ground.
19:34
Walcott and Co back at their old stomping ground
By Henry Clark At The Emirates
Hutchinson continues to receive jeers from the Arsenal fans but he is the one looking most likely for the visitors. McKenna probably would have taken this position if you offered it to him at the start of the match.
It’s been ruled out. Wissa had just strayed offside before he received a pass from the right wing. The forward probably should have checked his run better. It’s a big let-off for Brighton but it’s a goal that will give the visitors confidence.
19:17
‘Ipswich will take real encouragement from their recent from away from home’
By Henry Clark At The Emirates
I’m not sure how he’s managed to do that. It was easier to score.
The Gunners are in the midst of a nine-game run of matches in London. In fact, they’ll play away from the capital just once in 15 games by the time the month is out.
21:25, 94′
Brighton 0-0 Brentford
By Tum Balogun
21:58, 87′
RICE DEPARTS: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
Even though we think Arteta’s side are overly reliant on Saka, they have in fact had more goal scorers in the league than any other team.
I guess one question to ask is who is typically supplying those strikes?
18:42
Arsenal vs Ipswich H2H
By Tum Balogun
The German has been resident in London for the past four years and he seems to be loving every minute of it. Havertz’s last 10 goals have come in the capital and there’ve been plenty of chances for him to fill his boots.
Is Janelt picking Lewis-Potter’s nose there? Moving swiftly on, kick-off on the south coast is around 10 minutes away and we’ll be bringing you all the updates when the goals inevitably start flying in.
19:55
‘If there is one match Bukayo Saka’s absence should not matter, it’s probably tonight’
By Oliver Holt At The Emirates
Enciso nearly opened the scoring with a beautiful curling effort that had Flekken beaten. The Brighton forward was about 12 yards out and probably should have scored after the perfect set by Joao Pedro.
That first half was about as one-sided as it gets. Arsenal had a monstrous 84.5 per cent possession in the first period. Even more remarkably, Ipswich’s xG is yet to go above 0.
19:45, 14′
Goal:Brighton 0-1 Brentford (Wissa 14′)
By Tum Balogun
What a goal that would have been! Trossard produces a pass prime Cesc Fabregas would have been proud of to find Jesus, who had peeled off his defender. The Brazilian then managed to squeeze the ball into the net from the tightest of angles as Muric rushed in on him.
A rare passage of possession for the visitors is swiftly ended by the Gunners’ suffocating press. Ipswich’s gameplan when the scores were level made sense, I guess they’ll keep faith with it until the latter stages of the match in the hope they can nick something at the death.
18:27
Seagulls arrive for duty
By Tum Balogun
Too many passes that time by Arsenal, who managed to get behind the Ipswich defence. Jesus, Odegaard, Trossard and then Odegaard again traded passes before Trossard unleashed an effort from the edge of the box that was blocked away for a corner.
18:59
Damsgaard’s the danger man
By Tum Balogun
20:37, 45′
SECOND-HALF: Brighton 0-0 Bretford
By Tum Balogun
Coming to the Emirates is a daunting proposition on the face of it but Ipswich will take real encouragement from their recent from away from home. In fact, they have won two of their last three on the road and they are their only wins in the Premier League this season.
Most teams would try to copy the Everton blueprint from a few weeks ago – sit in deep and make Arsenal conjure up something special to force their way through. That’s not the way Kieran McKenna’s side play, though. They won’t die wondering and will be looking to get Liam Delap running into space on the counter-attack when they win the ball back.
19:16
Havertz loves a game in the capital
By Tum Balogun
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss, Amazon Prime:
19:41
Warm-ups underway at the Emirates
By Tum Balogun
18:18
Breaking:Brighton team news: TWO changes for Seagulls
By Tum Balogun
They’ve got the message; they need another.
21:17, 45′
SECOND-HALF: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
Leif Davis leaves Odegaard on the floor after getting a little too close to the Arsenal skipper. Davis catches Odegaard on the right leg before his studs come down on his left achilles. Not pretty and the Norwegian is clearly feeling the effects of it but it looks like he’s okay to continue.
Join the conversationKey UpdatesSO CLOSE! Arsenal 1-0 IpswichView post
WATCH: Gabriel misses an absolute SITTERView post
WHAT A MISS! Arsenal 1-0 IpswichView post
FULL-TIME: Brighton 0-0 BrentfordView post
SECOND-HALF: Arsenal 1-0 IpswichView post
Brighton 0-0 BrentfordView post
‘This feels like the place you go to sleep off the excesses of Christmas dinner’View post
‘This one has had a bit of a pre-season vibe about it’View post
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 1-0 IpswichView post
ONE ADDED MINUTE: Arsenal 1-0 IpswichView post
‘A smattering of boos for Omari Hutchinson’View post
‘Fabian Hurzeler’s frustration growing at the Amex’View post
DISALLOWED GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (Jesus 34′)View post
WATCH: Havertz scores in the capital AGAINView post
Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (Havertz 23′)View post
SECOND-HALF: Brighton 0-0 BretfordView post
‘Ipswich are standing firm and not leaving many gaps to exploit’View post
‘Noticeable how physical Ipswich have been in the opening 10 minutes’View post
HALF-TIME: Brighton 0-0 BrentfordView post
EARLY CHANCE! Arsenal 0-0 IpswichView post
KICK-OFF: Arsenal 0-0 IpswichView post
‘Rapturous applause as Cazorla is introduced’View post
‘It’s all Brighton at the Amex’View post
‘If there is one match Bukayo Saka’s absence should not matter, it’s probably tonight’View post
‘Wissa is so unlucky to be offside because the touch and finish is brilliant’View post
NO GOAL! Brighton 0-0 Brentford View post
Brighton 0-1 Brentford (Wissa 14′)View post
Szmodics: ‘It’s a dream for some of us lads to play here’View post
Walcott and Co back at their old stomping groundView post
Arteta: ‘You need to rediscover players in different positions, and different relationships’View post
‘It would be a heck of a surprise if Thomas Frank’s side got anything this evening’View post
Hurzeler: ‘We know only results count in this business and we are very self-critical’View post
‘Ipswich will take real encouragement from their recent from away from home’View post
Arsenal team news: Rice returns to staring XIView post
Damsgaard’s the danger manView post
Brentford team news: Bees make ONE changeView post
Brighton team news: TWO changes for SeagullsView post
McKenna: ‘It is a chance to show our togetherness, our spirit and resilience’View post
Gunners’ fears over Saka
View post
Another night of festive funView post
TOP STORIES
Unbelievably, it’s still goalless at the Amex. It has been a return of Graham Potter’s Seagulls, who often bossed games but struggled to match their dominance with actual goals.
Gunners fans will be overjoyed to see their old favourite Santi Cazorla at the Emirates tonight. The Spaniard won two FA Cups during his time in north London and played alongside the current Arsenal boss.
His side have to go for it now. They’re still trying to keep it neat and tidy.
It’s the first meeting of the two sides since a League Cup final second leg at the Emirates in 2011. The Gunners ran out 3-0 victors, having suffered a shock 1-0 loss to the Championship side at Portman Road two weeks prior.
21:39, 67′
YELLOW CARD: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich (Davis)
By Tum Balogun
Normal service has resumed and Arsenal are laying siege to the Ipswich goal. First Odegaard and then Trossard had goalbound efforts blocked by visiting defenders.
20:16, 1′
EARLY CHANCE! Arsenal 0-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
21:48, 76′
BIG MISS: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich
By Tum Balogun
The winger, who has been a symbol of Brighton’s rise in recent seasons, returns to a matchday squad for the first time in over a year.
Thomas Frank’s side saw their unbeaten home record got at the hands of high-flying Nottingham Forest and the Danish manager has responded by making a single change.
20:02
‘Rapturous applause as Cazorla is introduced’
By Henry Clark At The Emirates
What a start that would have been for the visitors. Muric’s kick found Hutchinson on the left who produced a cross for Szmodics but the forward couldn’t connect and the ball rolled safely away.
The Brazilian has notched five goals in his last two games and tonight we’ll find out if he’s really back to top form or just LOVES playing Crystal Palace.
20:22, 45′
HALF-TIME: Brighton 0-0 Brentford
By Tum Balogun
Brentfors’s injury list now grows to a staggering 10 first-team players.