Arsenal vs Ipswich prediction: Match preview and analysis - Premier League

Opposite standings and last-day results for Arsenal and Ipswich, who will face each other on Friday night at the Emirates with renewed hopes of a difficult title race (the Gunners) and the Tractor Boys after their home debacle against Newcastle. It will therefore be a match with an all-home inertia, even if Arsenal had a negative news from the last wide success against Crystal Palace, which is that of the absence of Bukayo Saka for several weeks, while for Ipswich the captain Samy Morsy, always present in all ninety minutes of the previous eight matches, will be out, but only because he is disqualified.  It is a matter of two proportionally equally heavy absences that Arteta and McKenna will try to fill in this match that Arsenal cannot absolutely fail but where Ipswich cannot disfigure and that continues a segment of a tough calendar that, in a few days, will see as next opponents of the Suffolk Blues also Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Arsenal's shape and key stats

The five-goal victory over Crystal Palace in the last round of the season confirmed that the Arsenal of recent times is close to being the better Arsenal and that the home draw against Everton is to be considered an accident of the way.

The Gunners, third in the standings, thus regain confidence and goals, continue their overall unbeaten streak which now goes into double figures (10 games) and prepare to play at the Emirates where they are unbeaten in the season and, more precisely, have not lost in 16 games considering all competitions.

Bukayo Saka's injury is certainly not a minor handicap, especially thinking about the next matches, but, always in the offensive department, for an important absence, Arsenal has a kind of new entry: the best Gabriel Jesus who, in four days, has scored five goals (all at Crystal Palace).

Ipswich's shape and key stats

Of course, the win against Wolves, albeit by a narrow margin, is worth more than the heavy 0-4 loss to Newcastle because it was a direct match against the yellow-and-whites, but the fact remains that Ipswich has won one and lost four of their last five games and there is much for McKenna's team to improve on, starting with their attack which scores less than a goal a game (16 goals in 17 matches).

Ipswich, so far, is doing better away from home than at home as the only two wins in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys are away, against Wolves and Tottenham; two also recent successes that, as such, allow Ipswich to find some foothold to hope to make a good impression in this next difficult match.

Match prediction and tactical overview

The scintillating success of the last round puts Arsenal back in the running for the..chase at the top which cannot involve any more stoppages against smaller teams. The Gunners are marching at a high pace at home this season, they are undefeated and, last 0-0 aside, they almost always score at least two goals per game, so for Ipswich the feat of withstanding the Gunners' fury will be a tough one even if, right in North London, Ipswich built the real, so far, only feat of the season, that of defeating Tottenham at home, but against a loaded Arsenal, the chance of emulating that precedent seems very low. BetMines gives more than a four-fifths chance of success to the Londoners for a home prediction that appears almost obligatory.

• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Arsenal - Ipswich is 1 at  81%.
• The BetMines Algorithm prediction for the Arsenal - Ipswich is  X at 12%.
• The BetMines Algorithm prediction for the Arsenal - Ipswich is 2 at 7% 

Arsenal - Ipswich predicted lineups

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Havertz; Martinelli, Odegaard, Trossard, Jesus. Coach: Arteta.

Ipswich (4-3-3): Muric; Johnson, O'Shea, Burgess, Davis; Philips, Cajuste, Hutchinson; Chaplin, Szmodics, Delap. Coach: McKenna.