Preview for Arsenal v Coventry

Coventry boss Frank Lampard concedes there is “no harder place to go” than Arsenal but says his side are relishing the opportunity to cause a seismic shock on the opening night of the new season.

The Sky Blues cruised to the Championship title last season and have spent heavily over the summer, signing the likes of Caleb Yirenkyi, Sidiki Cherif and Taiwo Awoniyi, as well as bringing Carl Rushworth and Gus Hamer back to the club.

As well as the new recruits, there remains a core of players who performed well last season and, according to Lampard, deserve a crack at the big time.

He said: “I’m very excited to be here and get a club that’s been out of the Premier League for 25 years back in the Premier League. Of course it’s exciting at this moment, but we want to challenge, we want to do well as well.

“Compete in every game we play, take every game as it comes, it’s cliche, but it’s also a reality of not getting too far ahead of ourselves.

“I want them to go in with a lot of belief, there’s hopefully a good energy about players that haven’t played at this level that are desperate to play and deserve to be here and I’m talking players like Ephron Mason-Clark, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Matt Grimes.

“Players who spent a long, long time working in the Championship with the aim of getting to the Premier League.

“I think that’s a good energy for us which we have to tap into, I think everyone should feel the same and it starts at Arsenal, you can’t start with a harder place to go.”

The challenge for Arsenal is to retain the title they won last season for the first time in 22 years.

The Gunners are overwhelming favourites to go back to back and the manner of their 3-0 demolition of Manchester City in last weekend’s Community Shield solidified the suspicion that it’s going to take something very special to stop them.

Leandro Trossard and Christian Norgaard have departed but Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis appear upgrades to an already formidable squad.

And boss Mikel Arteta is demanding no let up.

He told Sky Sports: “When I look into the eyes of my players and I see that fire, that desire and the will to be better every single day. That’s the only thing that I care about.

On winning the title again, the Spaniard added: “That’s an opportunity that we have ahead, and we are very conscious of what it’s going to take to deliver that. But I feel the ambition, I feel the desire, and I feel the ability and the conviction around the team that we can do it.”

Team News for Arsenal v Coventry

Arsenal defenders William Saliba and Jurrien Timber remain sidelined. Declan Rice could come in for Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield after starting the Community Shield on the bench.

Guimaraes may have to wait for his league debut for Arsenal, with Arteta revealing the Brazil international is a doubt after his withdrawal after the first half in the Community Shield.

Coventry will be without striker Haji Wright, who top scored with 17 goals in the Championship last season due to a quad injury that could keep him out for up to three months. Cherif or Awoniyi could be handed a debut in attack.

Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni are fit after suffering niggles in pre-season.

Expected line-ups for Arsenal v Coventry

Arsenal: Raya; White, Gabriel, Mosquera, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Tzolis, Havertz

Coventry: Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Dasilva; Yirenkyi, Grimes, Torp; Tchaouna, Thomas-Asante, Awoniyi

Recent Form & Stats for Arsenal v Coventry

• Arsenal and Coventry have not met in the Premier League since February 2001 when the Gunners won 1-0 at Highfield Road
• Arsenal have won their last four opening Premier League games to a new season
• Coventry’s last Premier League opener, in 2000, ended in a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough
• Arsenal have won 17 of their last 18 games against promoted sides, the exception being last season’s 2-2 draw at Sunderland

Where to Watch Arsenal v Coventry: TV and online streams

Arsenal versus Coventry kicks off on Friday night at 8pm. It is being shown in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event. You can also stream it on Sky Go.

If you live outside the UK, click HERE for details of how to watch the game in your region.

Prediction for Arsenal v Coventry

It’s a horrible fixture first up for Coventry, especially as they try to bed in several new players.

Arsenal ought to steamroller the Sky Blues, whose main target is to avoid a hammering that would threaten their early-season optimism.