Arsenal extended their winning streak to six matches across all competitions this season, while north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur continue to struggle, as evidenced in recent English League Cup and Premier League fixtures.
On Tuesday, Arsenal fielded a predominantly second-string lineup but still managed to secure a 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town in the third round of the League Cup. The young attacking midfielder Max Dowman, 16, scored twice—once in each half—further cementing his status as a promising talent. Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino also contributed to the scoring for the reigning English champions, who surged to a 4-0 lead before Ipswich responded with two late goals.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Dowman’s potential but emphasized the need for careful player development. “He is only 16 years old and we have to be careful,” Arteta said. “We don’t want to stop him, but we need to develop him. We’re fully aware of what he needs and he will have full opportunities to play.” Arteta highlighted the squad’s depth as a key factor in their ability to compete strongly on multiple fronts. “That’s what we want, to face every game, every competition with the same mentality, attitude and desire,” he added.
In contrast, Tottenham’s form remains a concern despite significant investment. The club spent around $400 million on new players during the summer transfer window but has yet to score a goal in four Premier League matches this season. Their only win of the campaign came against second-tier Charlton Athletic in the earlier round of the League Cup. Most recently, Spurs were beaten 3-1 by Liverpool at Anfield under heavy rain, with Conor Gallagher scoring their sole goal.
Liverpool took control early with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, and extended their lead with a stoppage-time strike from Dominik Szoboszlai, extinguishing Tottenham’s hopes of a comeback. Spurs managed 17 shots, many of which were described as off-target.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged the team’s offensive shortcomings, saying, “We have to shoot more times and we have to shoot better. We have to finish better the clear situations.” With no European fixtures this season, Tottenham’s realistic opportunity for silverware will come through the FA Cup, starting in January. Looking ahead to their next Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, De Zerbi expressed cautious optimism but did not commit to expecting an immediate turnaround. “I don’t know if the click is (coming) on Saturday or not,” he said. “We have enough qualities to score many goals with these players.”