Premiership: Gunners send Ipswich into relegation trouble

Arsenal 2 Ipswich 0

Swede Freddie Ljungberg deflected some of the attention away from countryman Sven-Goran Eriksson this afternoon when he scored both Arsenal goals against struggling Ipswich.

Ljungberg’s strikes, both in the second-half and in front of the watching England manager, took Arsenal back to the top of the Premiership and consigned Ipswich to almost certain relegation.

The Tractor Boys, are now five points from safety with just three matches remaining, two of which are against Liverpool and Manchester United.

In the 47th minute Bergkamp conjured up some of his special brand of magic and it was only fortune which kept Ipswich in the game.

The Dutchman moved forward menacingly before unleashing a 20-yard angled shot which hit the inside of Marshall’s far post before ricocheting across the goal-line and spinning away to safety.

Ipswich then replaced the limping Finidi George with Sixto Peralta before Stewart came close to giving Ipswich the lead. The striker raced through before going down in the penalty area in a scramble involving Seaman andKeown and for a moment the ball ran loose but Seaman was first to react.

Arsenal were indisputably playing the superior football but Ipswich were not without menace.

Kanu came on for Arsenal in the 57th minute as Wenger searched for more invention to unlock the visitors.

But though Henry continued to torment the Ipswich defence with his pace and full array of tricks the Gunners were still struggling.

In the 65th minute they might have been caught out at the other end, Stewart finding the perfect right-wing cross only for Marcus Bent to head the ball over Seaman’s crossbar.

Bergkamp and Adams went close, throwing themselves bravely to connect with close-range headers but the anxiety in the stands was growing by the minute as chance after chance was squandered.

It looked as if they would never score especially when Ljungberg rattled the Ipswich crossbar in the 68th minute. A minute later, however, Arsenal were in front, courtesy of the irrepressible Swede.

A Vieira cross was touched by Keown to Ljungberg who, with his back to goal, swivelled athletically to place a right-foot shot past Marshall’s dive.