Leandro Trossard netted twice and Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri once each as Arsenal comfortably beat 10-man Town 4-0 at Portman Road to inflict the Blues’ seventh successive home loss - a new club record - and move relegation a step nearer to being confirmed. There was really only one side in it throughout with Trossard giving the Gunners the lead on 14, before Martinelli added the second in the 18th minute, prior to Leif Davis being shown a straight red card for catching Bukayo Saka high up the back of his calf, then in the second half Trossard added a third on 69 and sub Nwaneri a fourth with two minutes left on the clock.

Town made one change from the team which drew 2-2 at Chelsea last week with Jacob Greaves coming in for Cameron Burgess at the centre of the defence.

The Australian international dropped to a bench which also included Ben Godfrey, in the squad for the first time since the Tottenham game two months ago.

George Hirst kept his place as the number nine with Liam Delap, who suffered a rib injury against Wolves a fortnight ago, again a sub.

On the bench for the first time was left-back Somto Boniface, the 19-year-old having joined the Blues from Chelsea in January and having been impressive in the U21s in recent weeks, scoring in his last two matches.

Conor Townsend and Nathan Broadhead were both absent from the 20-man squad, while Omari Hutchinson and Kalvin Phillips also remain unavailable.

Arsenal made three changes from the team which completed a 5-1 on-aggregate Champions League victory over Real Madrid in midweek with Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Trossard coming in for Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Thomas Partey, who were all on the bench. Saka started in the Premier League for the first time since December.

Unsurprisingly, the Gunners dominated possession from the off, but in the fifth minute, Jens Cajuste won the ball just outside the Town area and drove forward but the Sweden international’s ball for Hirst to chase was too far in front of the Blues striker.

Arsenal threatened for the first time moments later, Saka getting round the back of Davis on the right of the box and cutting inside to Trossard but Axel Tuanzebe did very well to get across to block.

On nine, Julio Enciso cut in from the left and hit a shot which smashed against White with Town claims for handball - mainly from the fans - rightly ignored by referee Chris Kavanagh.

On 14, Enciso dispossessed Declan Rice not far outside the box then took the ball forward to the edge of the area before failing to find Hirst with a pass.

And from that attack breaking down, Arsenal counter-attacked and took the lead. Saka was fed on the right by skipper Martin Odegaard and the England international cut the ball inside. Odegaard failed to get a significant touch but it ran to Trossard on the penalty spot and, despite a Sam Morsy challenge putting him on the floor, the Belgian international was able to shoot through Dara O’Shea’s legs and past Alex Palmer to his right.

Goalscorer Trossard blazed over on 18, then on 22 Jack Clarke looped a cross-shot well over after a sharp Town break down the right, Cajuste having instigated the move.

But play quickly moved back to the other end, Tuanzebe blocking from Martinelli for the first of two corners. From the second, Mikel Merino headed wide at close range at the far post having escaped Tuanzebe perhaps having more of an eye on not colliding with the woodwork than directing the ball into the net.

However, the Gunners didn’t have to wait too long for their second. In the 29th minute, Saka again cut back from the right, Merino flicked it towards the back post with the inside of his right heel and Martinelli tapped home.

Three minutes later, Town’s afternoon got even worse when Davis was shown a straight red card, the first of his career.

The left-back stabbed a boot at the back of Saka’s heel with the forward’s back to him just over halfway. Saka leapt dramatically into the air and referee Kavanagh showed little hesitation in dismissing the former Leeds United man.

VAR took a look at it before confirming the decision, Davis having caught Saka well up the back of his leg with his studs with the ball well in front of the Arsenal man, who was OK to continue after treatment.

The Blues immediately made a change, bringing Burgess on for Clarke and moving Greaves to left-back.

The game continued in much the same vein as before the red card and on 37 Saka, booed by the Town support, cut in from the right and shot across the face and wide.

Saka, whether deservedly or otherwise, Portman Road’s pantomime villain, missed another good opportunity a minute later, shooting wide with only Palmer to beat, much to the delight of the North Stand.

Three minutes before the break, Saka hit a low shot from a tight angle on the right which Palmer claimed low.

Moments later, Saka was at the centre of things again, sweeping a low Trossard cross from the right wide, catching O’Shea with his studs with the follow through, causing the North Stand to ambitiously call for a red card.

On 45, referee Kavanagh awarding Town only their second free-kick of the half, Hirst having been fouled by Jakub Kiwior on halfway, received the biggest cheer at that point, the official having been somewhat reluctant to give decisions in the Blues’ favour.

Arsenal maintained the pressure in five additional minutes without seriously threatening to score again before the whistle, Saka receiving more boos as he left the field.

Aside from a couple of early Town counter-attacks, there had only been one side in it from the start and Arsenal goals seemed only a matter of time, the Blues having been caught committing players forward but still with enough men back to have defended the break better.

It was difficult seeing the Blues come back from 2-0 down with 11 men, let alone 10, Davis making a frustrated and rash stab for a ball which wasn’t there to be won and catching Saka well up the back of his leg.

Town, with a long half ahead of them, swapped Enciso for Jack Taylor ahead of the restart with the Blues playing a 5-3-1 system.

The second half began as the first had ended, Odegaard hitting a shot from a tight angle on the left which Palmer bundled behind for another flag-kick with the Gunners pinning the Blues back in their penalty area.

Town eventually dug their way out of their own final third and on 53 created an opportunity, Ben Johnson crossing low to Hirst with his back to goal just inside the box but the ball was taken away from the Scotland international as he sought to lay it back to Cajuste.

Three minutes later, Morsy drove forward from inside the Town half and played forward to Hirst on the left, the striker cutting in and hitting a low shot only just past David Raya’s left post.

Arsenal made their first changes of the game moments later in the 57th minute, Saka, who was again booed as he left the field, and Merino making way for Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Gunners continued to dominate and prod and probe for a third, although without too much urgency, the three Town centre-halves getting their heads to crosses and Palmer claiming everything which came his way.

On 65, Palmer took a Blues free-kick from just inside his own half and found O’Shea to the left of the box, the Irish international centre-half nodding down to Taylor, whose effort was blocked.

Three minutes later, a Martinelli shot from the left of the area was deflected wide for the first of two corners. From the second, the ball was played to Martinelli on the edge of the box but his strike was blocked with Arsenal subsequently winning a third corner on the left from which they added their third goal.

Town, who up to that point had defended assiduously since the break, were caught asleep as the ball was played to Rice, who moved it on to Trossard, who had been left completely on his own and fired low across Palmer and into the corner of the net.

In the 73rd minute, Arsenal swapped Martinelli and Rice for Raheem Sterling and Kieran Tierney.

The Blues made two further changes in the 82nd minute with Hirst and Cajuste, Town’s best two performers on the day, making way for Delap and Massimo Luongo. Two minutes later, Arsenal swapped Trossard for Nathan Butler-Oyedeji.

On 87, Oleksandr Zinchenko hit a free-kick into the wall, then Odegaard hit the post with an effort from the right of the box.

Palmer then made a sharp save, tipping a first-time effort from sub Butler-Oyedeji over the bar but a fourth Arsenal goal came following the resultant corner.

Odegaard played a pass to Nwaneri in space on the right of the area and the sub cut in and hit a shot which deflected off both O’Shea and Burgess and into the net.

As the fourth official indicated four additional minutes, Town swapped Morsy for Conor Chaplin.

Zinchenko shot narrowly over, then Taylor scraped an effort from distance well wide before referee Kavanagh ended a game Town had never looked like taking anything from.

Davis’s red card had made life even tougher, but at 2-0 down taking anything from the game had already looked a hopeless task against a very composed Arsenal side which looked a level above the Chelsea team the Blues matched a week ago.

The challenge which led to Davis’s dismissal - the left-back will now miss three games including next week's trip to Newcastle, the club he supports - probably wouldn’t have led to a card a decade or so ago but it was high up the back of Saka’s leg with his studs catching the Arsenal man and it was difficult to argue against it.

In the second half, the Blues defended resolutely until being caught cold at the corner which led to the third goal with the fourth coming via a similar route.

Town have now lost seven in a row for the first time at home in their history and relegation will be confirmed next week at Newcastle unless the Blues win at St James’ Park and West Ham lose at Brighton.

Town: Palmer, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy (c) (Chaplin 90), Cajuste (Luongo 82), Johnson, Enciso (Taylor 46), Clarke (Burgess 35), Hirst (Delap 82). Unused: Walton, Woolfenden, Godfrey, Boniface, Chaplin.

Arsenal: Raya, Saliba, White, Saka (Nwaneri 55), Odegaard (c), Martinelli (Sterling 73), Kiwior, Zinchenko, Trossard (Butler-Oyedeji 84), Merino (Lewis-Skelly 55), Rice (Tierney 73). Unused: Neto, Partey, Timber, Henry-Francis. Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire). VAR: Darren England. Att: 29,549 (Arsenal: 2,955).

Photo: Matchday Images

Widj123 added 17:14 - Apr 20 McKenna has been given more than any manager in our history and has failed miserably. He is completely out of his depth he should be removed and someone you know how to manage to give us a chance next season act now and we won’t follow Luton
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Gforce added 17:16 - Apr 20 I fully agree with Mick Mills who said on the radio today,that he fully expects Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton to lead the way next season. He went on to say,that other than the top 2 and Sheff utd & Sunderland, the rest are very mediocre, with the likes of Bristol City and Coventry on a very low points total for a play-off team,which is normally around 75 pts for 6th place. I tend to agree and if we can keep the vast majority of our squad ,add some quality to central midfield and a decent replacement for Delap,then we'll be right up there next season. If you think I'm wrong, then name 2 stronger championship squads than us ??

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barrystedmunds added 17:17 - Apr 20 Just been humped by a team who humped Real Madrid 5-1 over two matches! Yep, the world that is ITFC is coming to an end!! Some people!!!
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Nottsblue66 added 17:18 - Apr 20 Phil1969 your living in cloud cuckoo land if you think we are going to come back stronger not a cat in hells chance As for McKenna he only knows one way of playing no plan B-or C I’m not sure if he is the man too keep us in the premier league if and when we go up again I also think the American owners will not be happy at our performances and how much money we have spent on c**p

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algy added 17:22 - Apr 20 7 home defeats in a row, 10 in 11, 1 home win, home goal difference minus 27. But the sycophantic will still clap happy.
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chepstowblue added 17:24 - Apr 20 Let the relegation party commence. This way like watching San Marino v England. An absolute waste of two hours of my life. Out of duty I sit here and watch it through to the end. I hope we do well next season, but truth be told, I couldn't give a **** if we never return to this God Forsaken division ever again. This season has finally answered the age old question...Would you rather be a good, successful side in the championship or a poor struggling side in the Prem ? The former, by a country mile.

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chepstowblue added 17:24 - Apr 20 *was*
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ITFCSG added 17:25 - Apr 20 Gforce - if we play Leeds / Burnley / SUFC right NOW without Delap, Cajuste. Enciso, Phillips maybe Tuanzebe and Omari (players that wouldn't be here next season) would you put your money on us comfortably beating them? I wouldn't.
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DifferentGravy added 17:32 - Apr 20 Aha, the old 5-4-1 again....bet that took Arsenal by surprise. No outlets when we do have the ball....inviting wave after wave of attack, onto our back line, when out of possession. It might work in the championship but we really need to have more than tactical options in the premiership. Been the same set up and pretty much the same outcome all of 2025. Appreciate that stepping up two divisions and trying to recruit premiership quality players in such a short space of time was never going to be easy. Not to mention the injuries.

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TimmyH added 17:33 - Apr 20 Gforce - how can you 'name 2 stronger Championship sides than us' when we're not even in that league currently!...problem is as we've experienced with League One you can get bogged down with lower league clubs style of football i.e. more physical and slower and end up to a degree having to play in that style. I've watched a lot of the Championship in the EFL highlights programme this season and it is not pretty viewing when it comes to fast paced quick passing hot shot quality goals, usually goal mouth muddles and mistakes. Don't think the Championship will be a walk in the park.

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blueboy1981 added 17:35 - Apr 20 …… some looking forward to the Championship could be in for a SHOCK - short memories of teams coming to Portman Riad to bore the brains out of punters spring to mind anyone ?? At least teams came and quickly sussed us out this season - then all of them knew they could come and WIN - and show us how to Score Goals and Defend. Shame we learnt NOTHING from, them but worthless so called ‘positives’ from every game !!

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Dissboyitfc added 17:38 - Apr 20 Truth is worlds apart in class, and you always felt they really didnt break sweat and if they needed more, they had plenty more! Am i embarrassed by that scoreline? no is the answer, we just have fallen short of what we had hoped for! I tell you what is embarrassing and thats losing 5-3 at home to Portsmouth, the scoreline flattered Norwich, really looking forward to the Derby next season! Regroup in the summer, much to look forward to next season!

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Leejames99 added 17:39 - Apr 20 Afternoon, at last some realists. We are embaressing, Arsenal broke record for most touches in opposition half without breaking sweat. Cheered me up reading someone say we be better with Chaplin and Burns dear lord. And I don't think any Prem clubs be looking at Mckenna especially Spurs lol Mckenna is so far out of his depth in Prem, and as a manager. There was no fine margins in that game, we never came up a season too early, who said we were ever going up, just because we finally got out of league one, fluked Championship with good loans but kept pretty much same team for all 3 league's is a joke. The owners and Ashton are business people, Mckenna needs to move on with his stable of players to a lower league and get a backbone, even at 10 men when that atrocious tackle took place by gift a goal he made the weirdest substitutions. His face said it all. Het Dyche in, he knows how to go straight back up and survive , he isn't soft, knows our players, good guy and available with Prem experience, with the budget we have and players signed we could do well, but while Mckenna and Morsy etc trying to play Panini we are heading back to league 1 as quick as we got out. We need to rejuvenate now. All got sacked in by the journey, too soon, fine margins waffle. Mckenna out after last game, so we can say bye to him and his merry men, thanks for the memories and continue the journey of making our club great again with players and a manager whose talent and experience match what is needed at the next level. Another 4 goals conceeded just disgraceful, looking at Leicester now they will also turn us over at theirs. Scored 15 and conceded 38 goals in 14 games since Jan Muric conceeded 31 in 17 But if you consider 16 of those goals were in 4 games WH, Man City, Brentford and Newcastlev , that means with Muric we only conceeded 15 goals in 13 games 1.1 per game so in the same amount of games we have conceeded double that amount and you all think Muric a bad keeper, get out of here, guy just made a few mistakes like all keepers do. We also scored 16 in 17 games up until Muric dropped so we were most definately holding our own and it was 27 points from winning positions dropped. That's all on Mckenna. If we don't get rid of Mckenna now we will be scratching around in Championship. Show the club's ambition and go and get a top manager now, who will get some fight from our team. Any supporters who think it's okay to break all these losing records because we got 2 promotions needs to give head a wobble, it's past now, good memories but this club had found itself in a position to get back up with right signings and proper experience in navigating what's needed.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 17:51 - Apr 20 Some of you need a head check . Blueboy etc. That side just knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League 5-1 on aggregate and you're expecting a squad inc several players who were in League 1 two years ago to match that ? Mick Mills gave a very sensible appraisal after the game . I'll go with him rather than some empty heads on here.
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Lightningboy added 17:57 - Apr 20 Another feeble display. Am sick and tired of watching us waste 95% of the game playing in our own 18 yard box. That needs to change next season from game 1.
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Bert added 18:00 - Apr 20 The usual suspects on here not wishing to even register the fact that the gulf in quality and spending is the reason why we have struggled. KM K has been given resources but we were not fishing in the right pool to add quality to the squad. Today was a masterclass from a top team in world football who barely got out of third gear. KMcK has at best a very good squad for the championship but he is not a magician. Hampered by key injuries throughout the season has not helped. These are not excuses they are reasons or facts has one poster likes to call the. The fact of the matter is that we were never going to be ready for the PL.

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grow_our_own added 18:01 - Apr 20 LJ99, you're a caricature of yourself now. Muric is still top mistake maker in the PL. He has only played half a season: https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/error_lead_to_goal No distractions for McK this summer. Need to get our business done early, let players have the gel-time they lacked last summer. No last minute panic buys in August. I agree this summer will be just as challenging as last given who we'll lose. We'll need: 1. Striker to replace Delap 2. 2 x CMs. Replace Cajuste and cover for Morsy. 3. Right wing-back. Ogbene is a speedster who snapped his achilles. Can't bank on him recapturing his athleticism. Burns is old for a pacy winger, and I'm unconvinced by even the recent improved form of Johnson. 4. CB: McK and Burgess aren't best buddies, and I can see one side or other calling it quits. Greaves unconvincing. That's five new first teamers needed to bounce back up. And that's if we only lose Cajuste and Delap. Crucial summer.

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Lightningboy added 18:02 - Apr 20 Just like to add that for all of Arsenal's possession & passing stats - watching them and modern football is like watching a bl00dy training session - bores me to death - I miss the way football was before Pep Guardiola "re-invented" it.
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TimmyH added 18:05 - Apr 20 What needs to change next season and that's possessing the ball for more than 20 seconds (not 100% necessity as Forest has shown) and the ball is lost getting it back ASAP on the transition, If we are to progress in the style of football for the future this needs to happen.
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blueboy1981 added 18:07 - Apr 20 Dissboyitfc ….. you really show your Blind Bias to the point of pathetic. The Laugh has been very much on us this season - we held the ‘bragging rights’ left them in our wake, and have given it all away - excuses won’t change the fact it’s now back to Ground Zero for both and all to prove again. We had the massive opportunity to maintain the gap, whatever one thinks, or chooses to believe - RELEGATION is a Massive Blow to this Club of ours. It was so, so important to ‘stay up’ this season, then to move forward, 17th could, and should have been achievable. With what some see as their Messiah Manager !! All this garbage of moving up to soon is absolute Rollocks - as some of you may well now realise. Excuses and Bias will never change Facts and Truth. We flunked a MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY - by incompetence of both Manager and Team. It’s been proven again today !

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Leejames99 added 18:07 - Apr 20 @Gforce 2 squads better than ours in Championship bit of a daft question Burnley Sheff Utd Leeds Middlesborough West Brom Birmingham Wrexham if promoted Southampton Leicester Sunderland We don't know who will be in our squad but those teams above minus whoever is promoted will be vying for promotion and we couldn't beat Saints or Leicester this season so not likely next if Mckenna still at helm, in the building right now we have amazing tried and tested Championship players who are young and promising too good for Championship but not yet ready for Prem. We need some experience in there too. Palmer will likely go to a promoted team. Our line up on opening day under Mckenna with no injuries or signings would no doubt about it be Walton H Clarke Woolfenden Burgess Davis Morsy Taylor Chaplin Burns Harness Hirst But with an experienced manager without the sentiment and backbone it could be Muric Tunazabe O'Shea Greaves Townsend New Mid (Cajuste) New Mid Szmodics J Clarke Hutchinson New Striker Subs Slicker Woolfenden H Clarke Ogbene Humphries Phillogene Broadhead Boniface New Striker Maybe Chaplin That's about it. Sean Dyche

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Bert added 18:18 - Apr 20 As usual blueboy using the same rhetoric devoid of reality or common sense. At least Lee James can articulate the problems rather than rely solely on negativity. ….. and capital letters !
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blueboy1981 added 18:25 - Apr 20 Bert - at least I don’t make excuses for failure, and serious damage to our Club by condoning such failure. Sound familiar ??
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Leejames99 added 18:25 - Apr 20 @growyourown He is joint top with on 5 mistakes with 2 other keepers. None of his mistakes led to losses only equalisers. If not for Muric we would of lost vs Spurs, Wolves, Villa, Brighton, Man Utd. That table is direct errors that led to goals not losses. Do some of you even look at our results. Someone has written we need to sign a CM as cover for Morsy, have to be kidding and didn't mention LB like Davis stays, get an absolute grip, what Mick Mills said on radio he was right we COULD and do have the right players to go back up but only a couple of those were with us in Mckenna reign the rest are finished unless Mckenna stays.some fans will blame anything the new signings, fine margins, now Arsenal beat Real Madrid etc anything but blame Mck and the likely league 1 lads. Some talk like we Arsenal of the EFL and should of just waited a season more before we strolled into the Prem and we would of stayed up no doubt about it, utter nonsense. Nothing to do with injuries he benched all the new signings and if you think a fit Burns and Chaplin would of kept us up your as daft as thinking our owners will put up with Mckenna for much longer, who believes, like Davis, their own hype. You got us promoted, well done, you now got us relegated in what is worst season in Town history so well down.

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dirtydingusmagee added 18:27 - Apr 20 Barrystedmunds it's not about being humped as you put it today , We have won just one game at home ,and the fact throughout the entire season despite results not being good enough McKenna has remained a one trick pony.Sticking with a failing formula and despite his claims learning nothing or seemingly so .The best thing about this season has been the fans and their support through a very disappointing season.IF , again IF McKenna stays he will surely be walking a tightrope and failure will not be tolerated.Its not so much about failing to stay up its the way we have failed that hurts .imo

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