Arsenal Rotate Nine Players as Teenagers Start EFL Cup Clash at Ipswich

IPSWICH, England — Arsenal have made nine changes for Tuesday’s EFL Cup third-round match against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, with manager Mikel Arteta handing starting assignments to 16-year-old midfielder Max Dowman and 17-year-old defender Marli Salmon.

The Premier League leaders opened the 2026/27 campaign with five consecutive victories across all competitions, most recently beating Sunderland 2-0 in the league. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Spanish international midfielder Martin Zubimendi receive their first starts of the season as Arteta manages a heavy autumn schedule.

Dowman joins Mikel Merino and Brazilian international Bruno Guimarães in midfield. Guimarães earned his place after scoring as a substitute against Sunderland, while Salmon makes her second senior career start alongside veteran central defender Gabriel. Left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly is the only other player retained from Saturday’s league lineup.

English international Eberechi Eze starts in attack with Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres and winger Noni Madueke. Arsenal remains without central defender William Saliba, right-back Ben White, and defender Cristhian Mosquera because of injuries.

Captain Martin Ødegaard and winger Bukayo Saka headline a heavily stacked bench. Saka matched Robert Pires for 10th on Arsenal’s all-time scoring list with 84 goals after converting a late penalty against Sunderland.

Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna has made 10 changes to the team that defeated Crystal Palace 3-2 in Premier League action on Saturday. Central defender Jacob Greaves is the only player to retain his starting position from that fixture, while summer midfield signings Florentino Luís and Zian Flemming make their full debuts.

Winger Jaden Philogene returns to the starting eleven after an ankle issue restricted him to a substitute appearance against Palace. Twenty-year-old prospect Abdoul Ouattara also starts after making his senior club debut in Ipswich’s 3-1 second-round victory against third-tier Leicester City.

The Tractor Boys’ lineup is completed by goalkeeper Christian Walton, defenders Darnell Furlong and Cédric Kipré, and midfielders Kasey McAteer, Marcelino Núñez, and Anis Mehmeti. Midfielder Azor Matusiwa was left out despite returning to full training after thigh surgery, while Jack Taylor remains sidelined with a knee injury. Ipswich’s bench includes Chuba Akpom, Julio Enciso, and Daizen Maeda.

Arsenal is seeking to end a 33-year drought in the EFL Cup. The Gunners last lifted the trophy in 1993, following their previous triumph in 1987, and reached the League Cup final last season before losing to Manchester City. Newcastle United eliminated Arsenal in the 2024/25 semi-finals, although Arsenal has advanced from 21 of its past 23 third-round ties.

Ipswich last reached the competition’s semi-finals during the 2010/11 season. That run included a 1-0 first-leg victory over Arsenal at Portman Road before a 3-0 defeat in the return leg at the Emirates Stadium.

The 2011 home victory remains Ipswich’s single win over Arsenal in their last seven meetings across all competitions. Arsenal has won the other six by a combined score of 13-0. Across 63 total meetings, Arsenal holds 32 victories to Ipswich’s 18, with 11 matches ending in draws, while former Arsenal forward Ian Wright is the fixture’s all-time leading goalscorer with nine goals.

At Portman Road this century, Arsenal has two wins, one draw, and one defeat, including a 4-0 Premier League victory during its most recent trip in the 2024/25 campaign.

Kickoff at Portman Road is set for 20:00 BST (3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT). In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Plus will broadcast the match live, with digital streaming available through NOW TV day passes (£14.99), 12-month contracts (£27.99 per month), or standard monthly passes (£34.99 per month).

Under English Football League tournament rules, any third-round tie still level after 90 minutes of regulation time bypasses extra time and proceeds directly to a penalty shootout.