Arsenal make two changes as Coventry name debutants for Premier League opener

Arsenal and Coventry City named teams for the opening match of the new Premier League season, scheduled for an 8pm kick-off on 21 August 2026.

Arsenal made two changes to the side that started the 3-0 Community Shield rout of Manchester City, bringing in Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice while Noni Madueke was benched and Bruno Guimarães was left out. Guimarães is expected to be missing for a few weeks after picking up a thigh problem at Wembley.

Coventry named several debutants in their starting line-up, with Swiss defender Aurèle Amenda, Ghana midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi and French winger Loum Tchaouna starting, while Taiwo Awoniyi, this week’s signing from Nottingham Forest, and Gustavo Hamer, newly returned from Sheffield United, were named on the bench.