Kai Havertz's first half goal proved the difference as a stubborn Ipswich Town lost 1-0 at title-chasing Arsenal.

The German striker side-footed in from close-range in the 23rd minute, following Leandro Trossard's low cross, to finally break down the resistance of a deep-lying and organised Blues outfit happy to defend their goal.

Town, who had just 16% possession in the first period, showed more ambition after the restart but lacked quality in the rare moments they reached the final third. Arsenal should have wrapped their win up sooner when Gabriel Magalhaes headed a golden chance wide at a corner.

The result lifts the Gunners back up to second in the Premier League table. Ipswich, meanwhile, stay 19th, two points behind Leicester and three behind Wolves following the latter's Boxing Day win against Manchester United.

Kieran McKenna made five changes to the team that had started the 4-0 home defeat to Newcastle six days earlier. Jacob Greaves, Luke Woolfenden, Ben Johnson, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Delap – available again after serving a one-match suspension – came in for Harry Clarke, Cameron Burgess, Sam Morsy (serving a one game ban), Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin. That meant a switch to the more pragmatic 3-4-3 / 5-2-3 system that underpinned the 2-1 victory at Tottenham back in early November.

It was Woolfenden’s first start since the home loss to Everton (Oct 19), Greaves’ second start since the away loss at West Ham (Oct 5), only the seventh start of a stop-start campaign for Johnson and Phillips’ first start since his red card (and subsequent ankle injury) in the home draw against Leicester (Nov 2). With Morsy and Chaplin both not in the starting XI, O’Shea took the captain’s armband for the first time.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, made two changes to the team that had started a 5-1 victory at Crystal Palace. England lynchpin Declan Rice, fully fit again after a knock, replaced Thomas Partey in midfield, while Leandro Trossard came in for injured star winger Bukayo Saka.

Kalvin Phillips battles with Gabriel Jesus. (Image: PA)

Town conceded with just 23 seconds on the clock against Newcastle, but they had a chance to break the deadlock even sooner than that in this game as Leif Davis’ deflected deep cross just evaded the stretching Sammie Szmodics inside the six-yard box. Not long afterwards, Delap crashed into William Saliba in trademark fashion as the away end continued to make all the noise.

Set-piece specialists Arsenal won their first corner in the fifth minute when Woolfenden was forced to head behind following a darting run and cross from Gabriel Martinelli. Aro Muric just about got enough of a fist on the ball as Town cleared their lines.

Town sat deep with organisation, allowing Arsenal to have plenty of the ball. Gabriel Jesus saw a shot from range go tamely into the gloves of Muric, Trossard saw a shot inside a crowded box blocked behind by Greaves, while Jurrien Timber’s run and shoot was straight at Muric.

Kai Havertz celebrates after breaking the deadlock for Arsenal. (Image: PA)

Ipswich had barely got out their own third of the field and eventually Arsenal’s patient probing paid off in the 23rd minute. Martinelli’s initial cross from the right glanced off the head of Woolfenden, with Trossard’s low follow-up delivery down the left side of the area evading Greaves in the six-yard box before being side-footed home from close-range by Havertz.

Arsenal started to play with a bit more zip after getting in front and a slick move ended with Rice firing narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box on the half hour. At the other end, a rare Town forward foray ended with David Raya plucking Johnson’s cross out the air.

Gabriel Jesus saw this finish, from the tightest of angles, disallowed for offside. (Image: PA)

The home side thought they’d doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Gabriel Jesus latched onto an incisive Trossard pass and somehow squeezed a shot inside the near post from what seemed an impossible angle. Thankfully, for Town and Muric, the offside flag went up.

Town’s game plan didn’t change drastically after going behind and the continued parking of the bus enabled them to get to the break just 1-0 down. The stats showed that Ipswich had just 16% possession and not a single touch in the opposition box. Arsenal, however, had been restricted to just four shots on goal.

Just as was the case at the start of the first half, Szmodics had a sniff at scoring within seconds of the restart. Goalkeeper David Raya played a loose pass out the back when positioned high, Szmodics picked the pocket of Saliba but didn’t get a shot off with the net unguarded. After a couple of touches, the chance had gone.

Arsenal responded with Martin Odegaard running at the Ipswich box, with Greaves flinging himself in the way of a goalbound shot. Rice’s driving run through the middle then drew a foul from Phillips, but Odegaard’s free-kick attempt thumped into the wall.

As the hour mark approached, Ipswich had their first real spell of final third play. Following an adventurous run by Woolfenden, both Omari Hutchinson and Leif Davis sent searching crosses into the box. Not long afterwards, a dangerous deep free-kick into the box from Phillips led to a corner, with Davis’ subsequent delivery headed away. It was an encouraging spell.

Gabriel Magalhaes heads a golden chance wide for Arsenal at a corner. (Image: PA) Off the back of that, Arsenal really should have doubled their lead. After a slick move led to a corner, Rice’s inswinger was headed the wrong side of the far post by Gabriel Magalhaes from close-range. It was a sitter.

When Town did play through the hosts well, Hutchinson picked the wrong pass when he had Davis on the overlap to his left. Arsenal upped their intensity in response. Odegaard's solo run and shot was tipped over by Muric and, at the resulting corner, Rice met Odegaard's fine pick out with a thunderous shot in the heart of the box that was charged down. Soon afterwards, sub Mikel Merino saw a low shot pushed away by Muric.

Having already introduced Jack Clarke for Szmodics, McKenna turned to his bench once more in the 80th minute. Jack Taylor, Nathan Broadhead and Ali Al-Hamadi replaced Johnson, Jens Cajuste and Delap in a triple change.

When space opened up for Taylor late on he didn't take on the shot from range though and Davis' subsequent touch in the box was heavy. Town had some late final third possession, but the final pass/cross continued to be lacking. Broadhead's well-struck shot deep into injury time was blocked by Havertz before the final whistle blew.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice (Partey 87); Odegaard, Havertz; Martinelli, Jesus (Merino 71), Trossard.

Unused subs: Neto, Tierney, Kiwior, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Nwaneri.

Booked: Havertz

IPSWICH TOWN (5-2-3): Muric; Johnson (Taylor 80), O'Shea, Woolfenden (H.Clarke 90+1), Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste (Broadhead 80); Hutchinson, Delap (Al-Hamadi 80), Szmodics (J.Clarke 71).

Unused subs: Walton, Townsend, Burns, Chaplin.

Booked: Davis