Arsenal's Cup Challenge: Ipswich Town Aim for Upset in EFL Cup

Arsenal’s flawless start to the 2026/27 season now runs into a classic cup test at Portman Road, where Ipswich Town will try to turn noise and momentum into an upset in Tuesday’s EFL Cup third round.

Six games, six wins, one goal conceded. Mikel Arteta’s champions arrive in Suffolk looking ruthless on paper, yet the pattern of their recent performances hints at a slow-burner of a tie.

Ipswich eye the interval, not the upset – yet

Arsenal have needed time to crack teams open. They were held goalless until the 75th minute in Naples before Martin Ødegaard finally broke Napoli’s resistance. At Sunderland, both goals again came after the break.

That matters here. Arteta is expected to rotate heavily for what will be Arsenal’s third away match in six days, after that draining Champions League trip to Italy and a Saturday night assignment at Sunderland. Rhythm can suffer when the cast changes.

Ipswich, by contrast, come in buzzing. Gary O’Neil’s side are back in the Premier League and holding their own, sitting in the top half with six points from four matches. They are fresh from a 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace, a result that underlined their attacking intent but also exposed their defensive frailties.

Their priority is survival, no question. But a cup run can harden belief in a newly promoted dressing room, and Ipswich have already shown they can navigate knockout pressure by edging past Leicester in the previous round.

The first target on Tuesday is modest: stay level at half-time. With Arsenal still feeling their way through games and likely fielding a reshuffled XI, the hosts have every chance of making the opening 45 minutes awkward.

Ipswich Town vs Arsenal Bet 1: Ipswich +1 (First-half handicap 3-way) @ 10/11 with Paddy Power

Madueke’s window of opportunity

The EFL Cup often doubles as an audition room. For Noni Madueke, this feels exactly that.

The winger has started very few games for Arsenal so far this season, stuck behind established names in league and European fixtures. This competition is where Arteta traditionally hands minutes to those on the fringes, and Madueke will know a sharp display here can shift his place in the pecking order.

He won’t be alone. Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze are also expected to feature, adding serious cutting edge to what is still a heavily rotated side. Against that, Ipswich’s defensive record is a concern: no clean sheets in five attempts this season and nine goals conceded in their last three matches.

Portman Road is likely to see long spells of Arsenal possession, with Madueke drifting into pockets, driving at full-backs and attacking the box. Given Ipswich’s openness, backing the former Chelsea attacker to leave a mark – either by scoring or creating – stacks up neatly with the numbers.

Ipswich Town vs Arsenal Bet 2: Noni Madueke to score or assist @ 8/11 with Paddy Power

Arsenal’s defensive machine travels well

If there is one constant in Arsenal’s start to the campaign, it is the defensive steel.

Five clean sheets in six competitive games. Just one goal conceded all season. At Sunderland, David Raya’s penalty save preserved yet another shutout and underlined the focus running through Arteta’s back line, whoever plays in front of the goalkeeper.

History leans their way too. Only one team has scored in each of the last seven meetings between Ipswich and Arsenal. The most recent clash at Portman Road ended in a 4-0 away win for the Gunners two seasons ago.

Ipswich do carry a threat – they have scored in four of their five matches this season, including that three-goal burst at Selhurst Park – but O’Neil is also expected to rotate with a crucial league trip to Everton looming at the weekend. That could mean key names such as Julio Enciso, Emersonn and Exequiel Palacios are protected.

If Town field a weakened XI against a still formidable Arsenal unit, the visitors’ defensive record makes a shutout a very live prospect.

Ipswich Town vs Arsenal Bet 3: Arsenal to win to nil @ 7/5 with Paddy Power

Form, lineups and a 0-2 script

The form lines are clear. Ipswich have adapted well to the Premier League, combining energy with ambition to collect six points from four games and earn their shot at the last 16. Arsenal, meanwhile, look ominous: 12 goals scored, one conceded, six wins from six across all competitions.

O’Neil is expected to shuffle his pack. Emersonn, managing a quad issue, is likely to be rested. Zian Flemming, who scored his first goal for the club on Saturday, should keep building momentum, while Jaden Philogene, Darnell Furlong, Florentino Luis and Kasey McAteer are all in the frame to start.

Arsenal’s changes will be just as sweeping. With the schedule biting, Arteta is poised to lean on his squad depth. Youngsters Max Dowman and Marli Salmon are in contention for rare starts, and the projected XI still looks powerful:

• Ipswich Town expected lineup: Walton, Furlong, Greaves, O’Shea, Davis, Florentino, Lukic, McAteer, Maeda, Nunez, Flemming
• Arsenal expected lineup: Kepa, Calafiori, Konsa, Hincapie, Salmon, Zubimendi, Merino, Madueke, Eze, Dowman, Gyökeres

The pattern almost writes itself. Ipswich to scrap and cling through the first half. Arsenal to tighten the screw after the break, as they have done in Naples and Sunderland. A 2-0 away win fits both the numbers and the narrative, with Gyökeres and Madueke tipped to supply the goals.

If that script holds, Arsenal march on, the clean sheets keep stacking up, and the question becomes simple: who stops them when the stakes get even higher later in the season?