Arsenal vs Coventry LIVE: Premier League

Live Match, Published On 21 Aug 2026 Champions Arsenal host newly-promoted Coventry City as the 2026-27 season kicks off. The match at the Emirates Stadium in London kicks off at 8pm (19:00 GMT). 19 UpdatesThere’s still time to vote in our pollThis content is unavailable due to your cookie settings.To continue, please allow functional cookies from third-party platforms.Sky Blues spend big as they try to stay upCoventry have brought in seven new signings at a combined cost of over 120 million pounds ($163m) in a bid to provide Frank Lampard with better quality and depth in his squad.“For teams who get promoted we know what the gap is, history tells you that,” Lampard said.“We knew we had work to do. We tried to strike the balance working smartly and strategically in the window.“We are stepping up a big level now and need competition both in training and game time. The rigours of the Premier League mean we’ve had to add players in different areas.”Debuts for Amenda, Yirenkyi, and TchaounaAs for Coventry, Frank Lampard has handed debuts to Amenda, Yirenkyi, and Tchaouna.The Sky Blues are set to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Tchaouna making up a dangerous front three alongside Simms, Thomas-Asante.Saka and Rice start for ArsenalBoth players struggled with injuries at the end of the season and during the World Cup, but Arsenal fans will be happy to see both have made the starting XI for the first game of the season.Lewis-Skelly retains his place in the midfield three in a 4-3-3 formation, while new singing Guimaraes has not recovered from an injury sustained during the Community Shield and has not made the match day squad.Havertz is again preferred as the central striker to Gyokeres, who is on the bench.With Saka on the right of the front three, new signing Tzolis starts out on the left.Neither Martinelli nor Gabriel Jesus have been named in the squad with both rumoured to be on their way out, but Nwaneri is among the substitutes.This content is unavailable due to your cookie settings.To continue, please allow functional cookies from third-party platforms.A look at the benchesArsenal’s substitutes:Arrizabalaga (GK); Hincapie, Zubimendi, Merino, Nwaneri, Eze, Dowman, Madueke, GyokeresCoventry’s substitutes:Wilson (GK); Kitching, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, Torp, Hamer, Rudoni, Sakamoto, AwoniyiCoventry’s lineup announced!Starting XI (4-3-3): Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Dasilva; Onyeka, Grimes, Yirenkyi; Tchaouna, Simms, Thomas-AsanteThis content is unavailable due to your cookie settings.To continue, please allow functional cookies from third-party platforms.Arsenal’s lineup announced!Starting XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Havertz, TzolisThis content is unavailable due to your cookie settings.To continue, please allow functional cookies from third-party platforms.‘We want to challenge and do well,’ Lampard saysCoventry’s return to the Premier League caps the club’s remarkable rise from the depths of the Football League back to the top level of the English game.City went into administration in 2013 and were made to play at Northampton from July 2013 until September 2014, before being forced away from Coventry again in 2019 when they ground shared with Birmingham for two years.“It was a great year for us and the celebrations were great. It went beyond football in this city,” said the former Chelsea and Everton boss Lampard.“I’m very excited to be here and get a club that’s been out of the Premier League for 25 years. It is exciting at this moment but we want to challenge and do well.”Coventry City’s Matt Grimes and manager Frank Lampard with the Championship trophy during their victory parade in May [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]Get instant alerts and updates based on your interests. Be the first to know when big stories happen.Coventry have survival inspiration, says LampardFrank Lampard has challenged Coventry to follow his survival blueprint as the Sky Blues prepare for their first Premier League game in 25 years against champions Arsenal.Lampard led Coventry back into the top-flight by winning the Championship last season, but his side have already been installed as favourites for relegation.The former Chelsea and England star believes Coventry can defy the odds if they replicate the way in which Sunderland and Leeds avoided relegation last season, finishing seventh and 14th respectively.Lampard has been studying the astute manner in which Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris and Leeds manager Daniel Farke plotted their survival bids.“They’ve changed that rhetoric a little bit. Those stories are important for us to analyse and we’ve looked a lot at those two specific teams,” Lampard told reporters on Wednesday.“To see how they played gives us inspiration, but it will be us that manages to make that story for ourselves, but of course we’ve looked at those stories.“We want to be confident in what we do, it’s our job to set out the strategy for the boys game by game – and they deserve to be here.”Lampard celebrates winning the Championship in April [Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters]