Kai Havertz scored the only goal as Arsenal beat a stubborn Ipswich Town side to move up to second in the Premier League.
The hosts claimed a 23rd-minute winner when Leandro Trossard picked the ball up wide on the left side of the penalty area and crossed for Havertz to tap in from close range.
Arsenal dominated and had 83.5% of possession in the opening period as Kieran McKenna’s side, who rarely left their own half, looked to frustrate them.
Declan Rice curled over from the edge of the box, before Gabriel Jesus thought he had doubled the lead when he squeezed the ball between Arijanet Muric’s legs, but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Second-bottom Ipswich came out for the second half with more intent, but Liam Delap battled against centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel without much luck.
Brazilian Gabriel had a chance to make the game more comfortable for the Gunners, but somehow headed wide from inside the six-yard box.
Havertz also missed a good opportunity for a second goal, but the German couldn’t connect cleanly following a Trossard header.
Victory moved Arsenal within six points of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, but Mikel Arteta’s side end the year as the only Premier League team still unbeaten at home.
Gunners struggle without Saka but find way to win
This was the first Arsenal match since key winger Bukayo Saka was sidelined with a hamstring injury that will now keep him out for “more than two months”.
Boss Arteta has said he would look internally to find the solution for the right side of his attack rather than rely on a new signing in January – and turned to Gabriel Martinelli for this game.
Arsenal found the Brazilian several times in the first half and it was his initial cross that eventually led to the winner, but the Gunners struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Arteta, who also said his side started the season with ‘one of the thinnest squads in the Premier League’, named four defenders and three defensive-minded midfielders on the bench, with youngster Ethan Nwaneri the only forward option.
Arsenal have had injury issues for most of the season and Saka has joined Raheem Sterling, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines.
Ipswich did have a go in the second half, but lacked potency up front and the Gunners were never really in danger of conceding and Arteta will be pleased with the control his side showed to seal the success that took them above Nottingham Forest and Chelsea in the table.
They next visit Brentford on New Year’s Day as they prepare for a third title challenge in as many seasons.
