Arsenal Faces Ipswich Town in EFL Cup Showdown

Arsenal’s perfect start to the 2026-27 campaign now faces a different kind of examination. Unbeaten at home and abroad, Mikel Arteta’s side step into a third front on Tuesday night, heading to Portman Road to launch their EFL Cup bid against Ipswich Town.

Six games played, six games won. The latest: a controlled 2-0 victory over Sunderland in the Premier League, overshadowed by what Arteta branded an “unacceptable” penalty decision. The performance was assured, the result routine. The fallout was anything but.

Yet for all their early-season authority, the League Cup remains Arsenal’s awkward blind spot. Last season’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the final reopened an old wound and stretched their wait for a first triumph in this competition since 1993. Three decades of near misses, hard lessons, and lingering frustration.

Ipswich, who brushed aside Leicester City 3-1 in the second round, will sense an opportunity. Arsenal, though, arrive with depth, rhythm and a clear intent to turn domestic dominance into tangible silverware.

Arteta’s selection, however, will be shaped by a familiar theme: the fitness bulletin.

Ben White worry after Sunderland scare

Ben White has not missed a minute of Arsenal’s season so far. That ironman streak is now under serious threat.

The defender was seen clutching his groin before being withdrawn at half time against Sunderland on Saturday night, an image that will have set alarm bells ringing in the away dugout. Arteta offered no concrete update after the game, but the situation is clear enough: White is a major doubt for the trip to Ipswich.

The timing softens the blow slightly. Jurrien Timber has just returned from his own groin issue and came through the entire second half at the Stadium of Light without a problem. If White sits this one out, Timber’s recovery arrives just in time.

Mosquera pushing to return

On the opposite side of Arsenal’s defensive equation, Cristhian Mosquera is edging closer.

The Spaniard has missed the last three matches in all competitions after suffering a hamstring strain against Aston Villa. Those injuries can linger, but the noises from the manager’s office are upbeat. Arteta says Mosquera is doing “really well” in his recovery, and crucially, he has not been ruled out of the third-round tie.

That keeps the door open. Whether Mosquera starts, features from the bench, or is held back for league duty, his name is now back in the conversation at a time when defensive options are being tested.

Saliba remains long-term absentee

One name Arsenal cannot call upon is William Saliba.

The French centre-back is the club’s only confirmed long-term absentee. His back problem, which flared up again during the World Cup, continues to keep him out of action, with the current expectation that he will not return until at least November 21, when Arsenal face Newcastle United.

Until then, Arteta must continue to juggle his defensive resources across multiple competitions without one of his most influential players.

No suspension concerns

If injuries are a concern, discipline is not. Arsenal have no players suspended for the clash with Ipswich.

So the picture is clear: a flawless start to the season, a competition that has repeatedly eluded them, and a squad walking the tightrope between momentum and overload. Arsenal arrive at Portman Road with everything to lose in a tournament they desperately need to win.

Is this the year they finally break the EFL Cup curse?