Ipswich Town 0-4 Arsenal:

Arsenal’s comfortable victory over soon to be relegated Ipswich Town was marred by an utterly shocking challenge by Leif Davis on Bukayo Saka, that saw referee Christopher Kavanagh hand a straight red to the thuggish left-back.

The Gunners have lost far too many talented players to dangerous tackles bordering on assault over the years, with the North London club - and the England national team it has to be reminded for any Arsenal haters and racists out there - nearly lost Saka to a severe injury. 

Thankfully the 23-year-old did not suffer a season - or career - ending injury, even if many deluded souls among the home support bizarrely opted to boo the Hale End graduate, not least when he came off to receive ice treatment on his right foot. 

However, by then Mikel Arteta’s reshuffled side were already well on the way to posting a workmanlike victory over an underwhelming Ipswich side destined for the trapdoor, with Leandro Trossard’s opener, prior to Gabi Martinelli making it 2-0 shortly before Davis’ disgusting lunge on Saka. Prior to a second by Trossard after the break, and a late fourth by hobbling Saka’s substitute Ethan Nwaneri. 

With Arteta aiming to hand out a fair share of R&R before the season-defining Champions League semi-final clash against PSG next week, Ben White returned to the starting XI, with boss Mikel Arteta making three changes from the side that beat Real Madrid so memorably in the Spanish capital before Easter. 

With Thomas Partey picking up a late booking at the Bernabeu that will rule the influential Ghanian out of the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against PSG next week, boss Arteta was aiming to structure a midfield without the 31-year-old. 

In what appeared to be a 4-4-2 line-up, Mikel Merino paired up with Leandro Trossard, as Arteta geared up for the crunch clash with the Parisians next week. While the Gunners boss has not opted for that particular formation too many times this season, it was noticeable that the Basque used the tactic against PSG during the comfortable 2-0 victory over the billionaire moneybags in the autumn. 

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna made one change, with Jacob Greaves coming in for Cameron Burgess, while Liam Della started on the bench, with the manager revealing the attacker had a rib injury. 

In a lively start at atmospheric Portman Road, in front of 29,549 fans, including 2,995 vociferous Gooners, Bernabeu hero Saka dovetailed well with Martin Odegaard as the Gunners attempted to weave through the Ipswich backline. 

And it was Odegaard who threaded the ball through to Trossard in a busy box in the 14th minute, for the Belgium attacker to squeeze the ball past Town keeper Alex Palmer to put the Gunners 1-0 ahead. Leaving the vociferous traveling support, many of who had been in Spain this week following their team, to sing joyously: “Arsenal in the Bernabeu/Tottenham watching Emmerdale…”

The visitors doubled their lead on 28 minutes, when Martinelli fired home from Merino’s flick in the box, after a sweeping move to put Arsenal 2-0 up. 

Worse was to come for McKenna’s side four minutes later when Davis was correctly sent off by referee Christopher Kavanagh, after the Town left-back hacked at the back of Saka’s foot and Achilles, in a vicious act as dangerous as it was disgusting. 

With the home side strangely opting to boo Saka afterwards, the 23-year-old nearly had the last laugh when steering his shot narrowly wide shortly afterwards, prompting further jeers from the Tractor Boys. Even if, the thought occurred, that if 80,000 fevered Real Madrid fans spent the whole evening trying and failing to put the Arsenal attacker off his game in the Bernabeu, Ipswich Town fans were hardly going to succeed. 

The boos duly noted, the traveling Gunners support amended their new Bernabeu chant to include a pointed reference to McKenna’s side facing imminent relegation. 

Amid a flurry of substitutions after the interval - including a hobbling Saka limping off to be given an ice pack on his ankle, with the after-effects of Davis’ scandalous lunge taking hold - Arsenal made it 3-0 on 69 minutes. Trossard showing quick feet and a predatory low finish to fire past Palmer. 

As the clock ticked down, with Gunners fans singing about a trip to Germany at the end of May, Nwnaeri’s shot cannoned into the net to make it 4-0. 

There is plenty to do before Arsenal can start dreaming of a trip to Munich for the Champions League final, not least when attempting to keep Saka away from thuggish and potentially career ending on pitch assaults. 

I’ve seen too many Arsenal player suffer broken legs after being targeted by ignorant thugs masquerading as footballers to not be appalled at Leif Davis’ dangerous lunge. And saddened but not surprised by many home supporters deciding to boo a player who was nearly badly injured pic.twitter.com/Z0RbVCenMA

— Layth (@laythy29) April 20, 2025