Key events
The teams
Ipswich: Walton, Furlong, Kipré, Greaves, Ouattara, Florentino, Núñez, McAteer, Mehmeti, Philogene, Flemming
Subs: Palmer, Davis, O’Shea, Lukic, Walle Egeli, Enciso, Maeda, Clarke, Akpom
Arsenal: Arrizabalaga, Salmon, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Merino, Guimarães, Madueke, Dowman, Eze, Gyökeres
Subs: Meslier, Konsa, Calafiori, Ibrahim, Julienne, Tzolis, Saka, Ødegaard, Havertz
I’ve just remembered that I was present to watch Ipswich’s League Cup exit last year.
Preamble
In the last 30 years, Ipswich have faced Arsenal six times in the league and failed to win a single game. The League Cup, though? That’s brought some joy for the Tractor Boys. There was a 2-1 third-round win for the visitors at Highbury in November 2000 (let me know if you remember that one well). A more significant occasion arrived a decade later, when they met in the semi-finals and Tamas Priskin scored the only goal in the first leg at Portman Road. But Arsenal triumphed 3-0 at the Emirates, reaching a final they ended up losing to Birmingham City, Obafemi Martins nabbing the winner at Wembley. Even I would’ve scored from there.
That’s been Arsenal main story in this comp for quite some time now – finishing just short. They’ve reached four finals this century and lost them all, including defeat this year against Manchester City, Nico O’Reilly’s brace getting in the way. This is the one domestic trophy Mikel Arteta hasn’t lifted at Arsenal, a box that still needs ticking, his latest crack at it starting tonight at 8pm BST. Drop me a line and let’s guzzle some of that sweet, sweet Carabao together (other drinks are available).
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