Ipswich Town vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news

Arsenal begin their Carabao Cup campaign away to Ipswich Town on Tuesday, with the reigning Premier League champions still chasing a first triumph in the competition since 1993. Mikel Arteta's side head to Portman Road on the back of six straight wins in all competitions, while Gary O'Neil's Ipswich, back in the top flight after promotion, arrive full of confidence having also collected back-to-back victories over Crystal Palace and Leicester City.

Arsenal have not lifted this trophy since Paul Merson and Steve Morrow inspired victory over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993, and have lost four finals since, most recently to Manchester City last season. Their only previous meeting with Ipswich in the competition came in the 2010-11 semi-finals, when the Tractor Boys won the first leg 1-0 before a 3-0 reverse at the Emirates ended their run. Ipswich striker Chuba Akpom , a product of Arsenal's academy, could face his boyhood club for the first time.

Ipswich Town vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news

Last meeting: Arsenal 4-0 Ipswich Town (Premier League, April 2025)

Ipswich's only fresh absentees are Jack Taylor (knee) and Azor Matusiwa (thigh), neither of whom has featured this season. Emersonn came off with quad tightness against Crystal Palace, but O'Neil said the striker would likely have been rested regardless, with Zian Flemming – eligible for Ipswich despite appearing for Burnley earlier in the competition – his likely replacement.

Arsenal will again be without William Saliba (back), who is not due back for a couple of months, while Ben White is a fresh concern after limping off with a groin issue against Sunderland . Cristhian Mosquera remains a doubt of his own, and Arteta is expected to make close to nine changes, with Kepa Arrizabalaga set to continue as his cup goalkeeper and Viktor Gyokeres in line to lead the line.

Ipswich have settled quickly back into Premier League life, following an opening win over Sunderland with victories over Leicester in the cup and a dramatic comeback against Crystal Palace, sealed by Zian Flemming's 90th-minute winner after Axel Disasi 's first-half red card. The defensive numbers remain a concern, though, with O'Neil's side yet to keep a clean sheet and having shipped nine goals across their last three matches.

Arsenal's perfect start to the season continued at Sunderland on Saturday, where Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka 's second-half goals secured a 2-0 win despite a contentious penalty award that David Raya saved. Victory would extend Arsenal's winning start to the campaign, Community Shield included, to seven games for the first time since 2004-05, with the Gunners having kept five clean sheets from six matches so far.

Ipswich Town predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Walton; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Palacios , Nunez ; Philogene , Enciso , Maeda; Flemming

Arsenal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Timber, Konsa , Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi , Guimaraes; Madueke , Merino , Eze ; Gyokeres

The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports+.

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