Arsenal secured a 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup third round, advancing to the fourth round. Manager Mikel Arteta made nine changes, with 16-year-old Max Dowman scoring twice. However, the win highlighted Arsenal's growing defensive injury concerns ahead of their Premier League match against Brighton. Piero Hincapie was notably absent from the squad, despite expectations he would start. Arteta publicly attributed Hincapie's omission to fatigue management, stating some players were carrying "real issues." Conversely, football.london reported that the Ecuador international is believed to have suffered a muscular injury, creating a discrepancy the club has not addressed. This defensive shortage saw Marli Salmon, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Zubimendi, and Myles Lewis-Skelly form an improvised backline.