Why Arsenal don't play on Boxing Day plus talkSPORT comments on Ipswich clash at Emirates

Arsenal will not play on Boxing Day this year as they host Ipswich at the Emirates on Friday night.

The gunners arrives at the clash after two victories against Crystal Palace in the first division and Carabao Cup.

Those wins have put Mikel Arteta's team back on track, but they will have to keep winning to ensure they stay in the title race.

Liverpool They are six points ahead of the North London side heading into the festive matches, so they cannot afford to make another mistake.

now they face ipswich who have only won two of their first 17 top-flight games, being beaten 4-0 at home to Newcastle at the weekend.

Why don't Arsenal play on Boxing Day?

Arsenal will face Ipswich on Friday, December 27 in one of only two non-Premier League games. It is played on Boxing Day.

This match was originally scheduled for December 26, but was rescheduled for October.

And that happened through television programming. on Amazon Prime.

An Arsenal statement explaining the change said: “Previously scheduled for Boxing Day, our home match against Ipswich Town will now kick off at 8.15pm on Friday 27 December and will be streamed live on Amazon Prime Video.”

Amazon will stream all games on December 26 and 27, with some being spread out to provide the best television coverage.

The action at the Emirates and Brighton vs. Brentford have been chosen as the games to be played the night after Boxing Day.

Even on Boxing Day, due to television broadcasts, the matches are distributed with Liverpool receives Leicester at 8:00 p.m. and city ​​of manchester facing Everton at 12:30 p.m.

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• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 13 league games against Ipswich (10 wins, 3 draws), since a 2-1 away defeat in September 1984.
• Ipswich are winless in their last 11 away league games against Arsenal (D4 L7), losing the last four in a row. His last such victory was in August 1979 (2-0 with Bobby Robson).
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 41 Premier League home games against newly promoted teams (W36 D5), winning the last 12 in a row. Only Chelsea (43 between 2001 and 2015) have had a longer streak in the history of the competition.

Arsenal vs Ipswich: talkSPORT coverage

This game will be broadcast exclusively live on talkSPORT.

Coverage will be provided by Hugh Woozencroft, while commentary comes from Sam Matterface and former West Ham manager Alan Pardew.

talkSPORT will also have commentary for all the Boxing Day games the day before.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 via the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen through the talkSPORT appon DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

As well as this, talkSPORT.com has you covered with the latest in our dedicated live blog.

• Arsenal have scored more than 5 goals in seven different Premier League games in 2024: the last team to do so in more top-flight games in a single calendar year was Burnley (9 in 1960), while the last time The Gunners did it in 1931 (8).
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League home games (W8 D3) and are the only team without a home defeat so far this season (W5 D3). The Gunners are looking to keep four consecutive clean sheets at home in the league for the first time since November/December 2021.
• Ipswich have won two of their last three away games in the Premier League, and before this they were winless in 12 away games in the top flight. However, the Tractor Boys are winless in their last 17 Premier League games against teams in the top four of the table (D3 L14), since a 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield in January 1995.

Arsenal vs Ipswich: team news

Arsenal have been hit hard Bukayo Saka will be available until February.

Saka suffered a hamstring injury last time out and Arteta admitted it “doesn't look good” for his star man heading into the new year.

That means Gabriel Martinelli could play on the right wing unless Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus or even Kai Havertz cover there instead.

Declan Rice He only appeared as a substitute against Crystal Palace but is likely to return to the lineup while Raheem Sterling has been discarded.

ben whiteTakehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko will likely stay on the sidelines.

As for Ipswich, Liam Delap will return from suspension, but the captain Sam Morsy will have Christmas at home after collecting his fifth yellow card over the weekend.

Morsi's absence means Manchester City will be loaned kalvin phillips Or Jack Taylor will start alongside Jens Cayud in midfield.

Ben Johnson may be preferred over Harry Clarke at right-back, while Axel Tuanzebe and Chiedozie Ogbene are still injured.

George Hirst won't return until the new year, so Delap will return straight to lead the line and Conor Chaplin could move into a deeper role.

• Arsenal have had more different goalscorers than any other team in the Premier League this season (14), with Gabriel Jesus and Declan Rice scoring their first goals of the campaign last game against Crystal Palace.
• Only Manchester City's Premier League games have seen more goals scored in the first 15 minutes (13 – F6 A7) than Ipswich's have so far this season (12 – F5 A7).
• Gabriel Jesús has scored five goals in his last two games for Arsenal in all competitions, as many as in his previous 45. No player has scored multiple goals in three consecutive appearances for the Gunners (all competitions) in the Premier League era.