Arsenal advances to Carabao Cup fourth round with 4-2 victory over Ipswich
Arsenal swept into the Carabao Cup fourth round this evening with a commanding 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road, as teenage sensation Max Dowman grabbed a brace to steal the headlines, reports BritPanorama.
The 16-year-old’s double was complemented by goals from Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino, ensuring Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their flawless record this term. The result makes it seven victories from seven in all competitions for the Gunners.
Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom netted late replies for the hosts, but these were mere consolations on a night that belonged firmly to Arsenal’s academy graduate. Despite making nine alterations from the weekend’s triumph at Sunderland, Arteta’s squad barely missed a step, underlining the remarkable depth at his disposal.
Dowman announced himself in stunning fashion just seven minutes in, winning possession in the middle of the park before collecting a return ball from Eberechi Eze, deceiving a defender with a dummy, and drilling a low finish into the bottom corner past Christian Walton. The hosts barely had time to regroup before Arsenal struck again on 16 minutes. Bruno Guimaraes harried Ipswich as they attempted to build from the back, forcing a loose ball that fell to Merino. The Spaniard floated an exquisite chip forward for Madueke, who hammered a half-volley into the same corner.
Ipswich found themselves in promising areas at times but lacked any cutting edge, failing to register a single effort on target before the interval. Arsenal’s reshuffled defence held firm throughout. The Gunners delivered a knockout blow moments after the restart, with Dowman latching onto a neat pass from Martin Zubimendi and guiding the ball home from an acute angle to make it 3-0. Merino then added a fourth, crashing a shot in off the woodwork from the edge of the box for his first goal of the campaign.
Ipswich did manage to restore some pride in the closing stages. Mehmeti converted after substitute Jack Clarke had skipped past Zubimendi down the left flank. Akpom then had the final word, collecting a ball from Leif Davis before his effort was deflected in off Myles Lewis-Skelly in stoppage time. Neither goal could diminish what had been a thoroughly convincing Arsenal performance.
Dowman’s emergence has been one of the stories of Arsenal’s season. The youngster made his mark during last term’s title-winning campaign with a goal and assist in a crucial home victory over Everton, but had been limited to four unused substitute appearances this season before featuring for the under-21s on Saturday. Three days on, the forward — still three months shy of his 17th birthday — demonstrated precisely why he is regarded as one of English football’s most thrilling prospects.
Arteta was forced into a makeshift back four, with Ben White, Jurriën Timber, Cristian Mosquera, and Piero Hincapié all unavailable. Seventeen-year-old Marli Salmon partnered Zubimendi and Lewis-Skelly in an improvised defensive unit that nonetheless proved impressively sturdy. For Ipswich, the defeat extends a dismal record in this competition — they have failed to advance beyond the third round in 14 of the past 15 seasons.
In the end, Arsenal’s performance was a reminder of the promising talent within their ranks, while Ipswich will have to rethink their approach to ensuring they contend meaningfully in future cup ties.
