Arsenal 1 Ipswich 0: Kai Havertz scores winner that sees Gunners leapfrog Chelsea into second
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Sponsored by. IF we are going to have some sort of a title race, then it is up to Arsenal to really raise their game. But without Bukayo Saka in their team, you really have to wonder whether Mikel Arteta’s mob are capable of giving Liverpool manager Arne Slot some sleepless nights.
![[Kai Havertz scored the winner as Arsenal beat Ipswich]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/kai-havertz-arsenal-celebrates-scoring-960116981_7a8e79.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
On this evidence, they may as well drive the Premier League trophy up to Merseyside now. Kai Havertz scored his 12th goal of the season against an Ipswich side who failed to land a glove on their opponents but defended stubbornly. The fact Arsenal made a meal of beating such a limited team does raise some questions over whether they can close this enormous gap at the top.
![[The German made no mistake with his close-range finish]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-960116587.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The fact Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League - with a game in hand - merely underlines how much better Slot’s team have been this season. While Arsenal have to keep on plugging away, they must still hope for a major blip from the leaders and at this stage, it still seems unlikely.
![[Gabriel should have made it 2-0 with this free header]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gabriel-arsenal-heads-shot-wide-960119841.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
After squeezing past Kieran McKenna’s team, Arsenal now have away trips to Brentford and Brighton and once again, Saka’s genius on the right will be sorely missed. Maybe, this game was further evidence for Arteta to persuade his board to dip into the January transfer market.
![[The Brazilian defender could not believe he had put the ball wide]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/arsenals-gabriel-reacts-missing-header-960119723.jpg?strip=all&w=746)
Arteta switched Gabriel Martinelli to the right with Leonardo Trossard, who delivered the assist for the first goal, starting out on the left. FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS. But this was still not particularly impressive stuff from an Arsenal team who really hoped that this year, would be THEIR year.
![[Gabriel Jesus scored from a seemingly impossible angle but it was chalked off for offside]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gabriel-jesus-arsenal-scores-goal-960118211.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
