Arsenal vs Ipswich Town predictions: Gunners hitting their scoring straps
- Arsenal have won their last 12 home league games against promoted teams
- The Gunners have conceded in 11 of their last 15 league matches
- Recommended bet: Arsenal to win & both teams to score
Having been held to successive draws against Fulham and Everton, Arsenal got their Premier League title pursuit back on track with last Saturday's emphatic 5-1 success at Crystal Palace and they will be expected to follow up against struggling Ipswich at the Emirates.
The Gunners were dealt a blow in that convincing victory at Selhurst Park, with influential winger Bukayo Saka limping off with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out over the busy Christmas period.
However, it stretched Arsenal's unbeaten run to 10 and Mikel Arteta's side should have enough in reserve to see off second-bottom Ipswich, who have suffered four defeats in their last five.
Team news
Saka is expected to be out for some time with a hamstring problem, with the England winger joining Raheem Sterling, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the sidelines.
However, Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney and Declan Rice are fit again.
Liam Delap returns from suspension for Ipswich but Axel Tuanzebe, Janoi Donacien, George Hirst and Chiedozie Ogbene are still missing through injury.
The stats
Arsenal are unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, a run which includes seven Premier League fixtures.
The Gunners are undefeated in their last 13 league games against Ipswich.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 41 Premier League home fixtures against promoted sides (W36 D5), winning the last 12 in a row.
Arteta's men have not lost in their last 11 Premier League home games and are the only side without a home defeat so far this term.
Ipswich have won only two of their opening 17 league outings, suffering four defeats in their last five.
The Gunners have conceded in 11 of their last 15 top-flight matches.
Prediction
Arsenal know that any setbacks over this hectic Christmas period could be potentially fatal to their title aspirations and they should have too much for a relegation-threatened Ipswich on Friday.
Even in Saka's absence, the Gunners have an abundance of firepower and they have scored three or more goals in six of their last nine matches.
So the hosts should be too lively for the Tractor Boys, although there may be a consolation goal in it for the visitors.
Defensive disruptions mean clean sheets have been harder to come by this season for Arsenal, who have conceded in 11 of their last 15 matches, and Ipswich will be buoyed by Delap's return from suspension.
For all their struggles, Ipswich have scored in 11 of their 17 league games this season and that includes on trips to Manchester City and Tottenham as well as at home to Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Manchester United.
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