Max Dowman’s sensational brace and a ruthless high press propelled Mikel Arteta’s rotated side past Ipswich Town, securing the clinical Gunners a spot in the fourth round of The Carabao Cup.
Arsenal cruised into the 4th Round of the Carabao Cup this evening with a comfortable 2-4 win over fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Arteta rotated heavily for the trip to Suffolk, but there were no signs that the standard of football was going to let up.
The Gunners sprung out the traps in the early exchanges. An exhibition in pressing early on from Arteta’s men, who found the net just 7 minutes into the first half. 16 year-old Max Dowman showing just why the Arsenal fans rave so highly about the youngster, who after picking up the ball from Eze, drove at the heart of the Ipswich defence, skipping past the defence with ease and slotting the ball into the bottom left hand corner past Walton in the Tractor Boys’ net.
Arsenal continued to suffocate Gary O'Neil’s men, and the second goal came from that press that has been proving so effective this season. Ipswich gave the ball away on the edge of their own box, and when the ball found Noni Madueke on the right hand side of the 18 yard box, he lashed a strike into the bottom left hand corner to double the visitors lead.
Ipswich grew slowly into the game, and had a couple of moments of their own, especially through Philogene on the left hand side, but nothing that caused Arsenal or Kepa too much trouble. In fact, the hosts failed to register a shot on target in the first half. Arsenal had limited chances after their quick fire double, but they went into the half-time break much the much happier side of the two.
HALF TIME: Ipswich Town 0 Arsenal 2 (Dowman 7’ & Madueke 16’)
Eberechi Eze & Noni Madueke celebrate as the latter puts The Gunners 0-2 in the first half against Ipswich Town (REUTERS) Arsenal started the second half in a very similar fashion to how they started the first and that was on the front foot.
The Gunners added to their lead further just 2 minutes into the second half, and it was that man Max Dowman once again, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net after he was found in the box after a nice ball from the stand in right-back on the night, Martin Zubimendi.
It remained pure domination from Arteta’s men in the second half, and with cries of 'Are you Tottenham in disguise' from the away fans, Arsenal went even further in front after Guimaraes found Merino on the edge of the box who curled into the bottom left hand corner off the post to add Arsenal’s fourth of the evening.
Ipswich made some changes not long after going further behind, and it was their substitute Jack Clarke who after driving down the left hand side, found Anis Mehmeti to pull a goal back for the hosts as his first time shot beat Kepa low to his left.
As the game drew to a close, it did get a little scrappy in parts which allowed Ipswich to grow slightly more into the game which will no doubt annoy the Arsenal boss, as will not keeping a clean sheet.
There was still time for former Arsenal man Chuba Akpom to score another consolation for the hosts late on to make it 2-4 after taking the ball nicely to fire past Kepa.
With that being said, he will be delighted with the vast majority of Tuesday night's performance, as Arsenal sailed through unscathed. Their name will firmly be in the hat for the 4th Round draw.
FULL TIME: Ipswich Town 2 - 4 Arsenal (Mehmeti 62' Akpom 90+1') (Dowman 7' 46, Madueke 16' & Merino 58')
The Gunners’ next test comes in the form of a trip to the South Coast to face an in-form Brighton side in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, before an extended International Break comes into force.
