COYG.

Reviewed edition · 25 Aug 2026

The Carabao Cup joins the diary tomorrow night

Arsenal enter at round three; the draw follows Preston v Everton at about 10.30pm UK time on Wednesday.

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The Carabao Cup joins the diary tomorrow night

Arsenal enter at round three; the draw follows Preston v Everton at about 10.30pm UK time on Wednesday.

Arsenal enter the Carabao Cup in the third round after reaching last season’s final. The official club guide says the draw will follow Preston North End v Everton at approximately 10.30pm UK time on Wednesday 26 August, live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Arsenal’s ball number had not been confirmed when the guide was published. Because Arsenal are also in the Champions League, the third-round tie is scheduled for the week commencing 14 September, with the exact date still to be confirmed.

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What the Coventry opener actually showed

A 3–0 scoreline, a clean sheet and an immediate left-wing spark from Christos Tzolis.

Arsenal were two ahead after 23 minutes and three up within three minutes of the restart. Havertz finished Calafiori’s pass for the opener after Tzolis won possession; Tzolis then drove the move that ended with Saka tapping in. White’s cut-back created Ødegaard’s third. The best early-season signal was structural: Tzolis kept attacking from the left, Rice progressed through Coventry’s lines and Raya had almost nothing to do. Arteta’s 150th league win arrived in his 249th match, while Arsenal extended their unbeaten home run against promoted clubs to 46 games.

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Konsa adds a different kind of defensive depth

The number 15 arrives with Premier League, England and right-back experience, not as a developmental gamble.

Ezri Konsa signed from Aston Villa on 21 August on a long-term contract. He spent seven seasons at Villa Park, made more than 200 appearances for the club across all competitions and represented England at Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup. Arsenal highlighted his athleticism, composure, tactical intelligence and ability to play at centre-back or right-back. He joins immediately and wears number 15.

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Tzolis has changed the left-side question

Two Community Shield assists were followed by direct involvement in the first two league goals.

The important early detail is how quickly Tzolis’ directness has translated. Against Manchester City he supplied two assists; against Coventry he won the ball in the move for Havertz’s opener and forced the goalkeeper’s intervention before Saka’s tap-in. It is too early for sweeping conclusions, but his first two competitive Arsenal appearances show a left-sided attacker repeatedly driving into the box rather than waiting outside it.

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Villa away is now Monday night

Arsenal’s first league away game is at Villa Park on Monday 31 August at 8pm UK time.

The official Arsenal fixture page lists Aston Villa away for 8pm UK time on Monday 31 August. The date and time remain subject to competition and broadcast changes, so COYG will keep showing the official checked time and its last-checked timestamp rather than presenting the calendar as immutable.

Publication record

Dated edition 2026-08-25 · revision 6 · published 25 Aug 2026.

This page keeps the reviewed programme and its source notes for this date.