Arsenal host Coventry City in the Premier League’s opening fixture as the two teams clash at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners are seeking to defend their title and begin their campaign against last year’s Championship winners Coventry.
Mikel Arteta has strengthened his squad over the summer with the arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis and Ezri Konsa, while the Gunners are still in the market for a potent left winger. Arsenal are full of confidence having dismantled Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield and they are the heavy favourites to take all three points this evening.
Coventry, meanwhile, are back in the top-flight for the first time since the 2000/01 season having spent a quarter of a century aiming to reach the heights of the Premier League once more. Frank Lampard led his team to promotion having won the second division by a margin of 11 points and the manager’s aim will be to keep the Sky Blues in the top-flight this season.
Follow all the action from the Emirates as Arsenal take on Coventry:
Arsenal 1-0 Coventry
18 mins: It coule be a long night for Coventry now.
It’s an early goal to concede which will only fuel Arsenal to score more.
Frank Lampard has a furrowed brow.
Kai Havertz is beaming.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:18
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Coventry (Kai Havertz, 15′)
There’s the first goal!
It’s Kai Havertz who’s got the opening goal of the Premier League season.
A switch of play sends the ball out to Tzolis on the left wing. He stumbles to control it but the ball comes loose to Riccardo Calafiori.
He flicks the ball into the middle of the box where Kai Havertz runs onto it and sidefoots his effort into the bottom corner!
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:16
Arsenal 0-0 Coventry
12 mins: Saka takes another Arsenal corner and lofts it into the middle of the area.
Carl Rushworth is their to leap and pluck the ball out of the air without too much trouble.
Coventry already look like they’re getting a taste for the rigours of the Premier League but they’ve defended well so far.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:13
Arsenal 0-0 Coventry
9 mins: Chance!
Arsenal are pushing for that opening goal. They flood the box and play a short corner. Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White pass the ball between them before White pulls it to the front edge of the box,
Here comes Tzolis who shoots with his first touch and fires it towards goal. Bobby Thomas makes the block to deny Arsenal the opening goal.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:09
Arsenal 0-0 Coventry
6 mins: Cristhian Mosquera looks to float an aerial pass in behind Bobby Thomas but the defender leaps highest and nods the ball on.
It flies past Christos Tzolis and Coventry can bring it forward.
They don’t get far as Arsenal recover the ball with Martin Odegaard feeding it back out to Tzolis on the left wing.
Tzolis dances inside, runs into the box and fizzes a shot high and wide.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:05
Arsenal 0-0 Coventry
3 mins: The corner is well defended by the Gunners who maintain possession amid a chorus of songs sung by the home crowd.
Arsenal work the ball along the back line and try to draw Coventry forward. They don’t bite though and maintain a deep block.
Bukayo Saka receives the ball on the right and looks for space before passing backwards.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:02
Kick off! Arsenal 0-0 Coventry
Coventry get the ball rolling and boot it over to the right side of the pitch.
The Sky Blues work the ball into the Arsenal box where Gabriel turns the ball behind for an early corner.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 20:00
Arsenal vs Coventry
Arsenal make their way onto the pitch to great fanfare as the Premier League champions.
Coventry must match them physically tonight and try to stay in the game as long as they can.
The players all look ready, the 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off next…
Mike Jones21 August 2026 19:56
Arsenal’s record
Since the start of 2023/24, Arsenal have won 17 of their 18 Premier League games against promoted sides, with the exception a 2-2 draw at Sunderland last season.
At home, the Gunners are unbeaten in 45 Premier League games against promoted sides, the longest run by any team in the competition’s history (W40, D5).
Mike Jones21 August 2026 19:50
A long time to wait
This is Coventry City’s first Premier League match in 25 years and 94 days, the longest gap between games by a side in the competition’s history.
They’ve lost their last seven away league games against reigning top-flight champions, most recently going down 4-2 at Manchester United in April 2001.
Mike Jones21 August 2026 19:45NewerOlder