The 2026-27 Premier League campaign officially kicks off on Friday night as reigning champions Arsenal host newly-promoted Coventry.
Mikel Arteta’s men are favourites to win back-to-back English top-flight titles, a feat the Gunners have not achieved since the 1930s.
The North Londoners will be full of confidence after beating rivals Manchester City 3-0 last Sunday to win the FA Community Shield.
So this is about as tough as it gets for Frank Lampard and his Coventry side, but shock results are not beyond the realms of possibility in the early stages of a season.
Our first full match preview for the 2026-27 campaign is available to view below, and we have picked out some online betting tips based on the latest Premier League odds.
And if multiple match markets catch your eye before kick-off at the Emirates Stadium, remember you can combine them into one handy wager with NetBet Sport’s brilliant Bet Builder feature.
Where can I watch Arsenal vs Coventry in the UK?
Arsenal vs Coventry will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.
Arsenal vs Coventry Preview
Recent results
After an indifferent pre-season campaign which featured just one win over Girona (1-4), Arsenal really flexed their muscles against City last Sunday afternoon. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard secured an emphatic victory, one which has made supporters even more optimistic for the future.
Coventry started their pre-season off with a 0-0 draw vs Northampton, but finished with two impressive victories over Espanyol (3-1) and AS Monaco (2-0). It means the Sky Blues are on an 11-match unbeaten run after ending their title-winning 2025-26 Championship campaign with three triumphs over Portsmouth (5-1), Wrexham (3-1) and Watford (0-4).
Head-to-head record
This is the first Premier League meeting between the sides since February 2001, when Arsenal claimed a 1-0 home victory.
The pair have met within the EFL Cup (September 2012) and FA Cup (January 2014) arenas in the years since, with the Gunners claiming 4-0 and 6-1 wins at the Emirates.
Team news
William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are expected to be the only major absentees for Arsenal. New signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis are in the frame to start, while Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice could make their returns to the XI after featuring off the bench vs Man City. Following Odegaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly’s superb showings last Sunday, Arteta has some welcome selection headaches in midfield!
Jack Rudoni is a major doubt for Coventry due to a shoulder injury, while Luke Woolfenden is ruled out. The match may come a little too soon for new striker Taiwo Awoniyi to earn a starting berth, though Lampard could call on some of his other new signings in Caleb Yirenkyi, Loum Tchaouana, Frank Onyeka and Aurele Amenda, with Carl Rushworth almost nailed on to start in goal following his brilliant 2025-26 loan spell.
Arsenal vs Coventry Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are huge favourites to open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign with a win, the Gunners priced as low as 1.15. A victory for Coventry is at long odds of 14.00, while the draw is 7.10.
Arsenal vs Coventry Betting Tips
Arsenal to score over 2.5 goals @ 1.90
The school of thought is Arsenal will play less conservatively this season after finally ending their long wait for Premier League glory. ‘Playing with the handbrake off’ was a common phrase aimed at the Gunners last term, and they certainly did just that against City. If Arteta’s boys perform to a similar level on their Emirates return, you really do fear for Coventry.
Player to score or assist – Martin Odegaard @ 2.23
Odegaard struggled with fitness and form in 2025-26, but a solid World Cup 2026 campaign with Norway appears to have reignited his spark. He was unplayable in Cardiff, and deservedly grabbed a brilliant third goal for the Gunners vs City. So snapping up great odds, which are slightly better than evens, for the Arsenal skipper to score OR assist just feels like a no-brainer.
Player to score or assist – Christos Tzolis @ 1.62
Tzolis was another who really caught the eye in Arsenal’s aforementioned victory in Cardiff. The Greek winger has clearly benefitted hugely from a full pre-season, with the ex-Club Brugge flyer tallying two assists to help secure the Community Shield. Tzolis is an absolute machine when it comes to churning out numbers in the final third, evidenced by his 22 goals and 29 assists across all competitions last term. A dazzling Premier League debut in an Arsenal shirt? We certainly reckon so.
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