Arsenal start their Carabao Cup campaign away at League One outfit Port Vale on Wednesday night, with the two teams facing off for the first time this century.
Wednesday’s hosts are preparing for a grand occasion in their 150th anniversary season, as they welcome the Premier League’s perennial bridesmaids to Vale Park for this third-round tie.
While Vale are struggling down in 19th in League One, they’ve beaten Blackpool and upset Birmingham City to set up their maiden meeting with the Gunners since 1998, when they came close to stunning the eventual double-winners in the FA Cup.
Mikel Arteta’s side enter this cup tie off the back of a three-game week, one which concluded with a 1–1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday. They were forced to break down an uncharacteristically deep Cityzens defence after Erling Haaland’s early opener, eventually bagging their equaliser through substitute Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time.
There’s an expectation that Arsenal will compete for the Premier League title despite already falling five points behind champions Liverpool. The Gunners also haven’t lifted a trophy since the FA Cup in 2020, so they’ll want to enjoy another deep run in this competition.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to Wednesday’s cup tie.
What Time Does Port Vale vs. Arsenal Kick Off?
- Location: Stoke-on-Trent, England
- Stadium: Vale Park
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 24
- Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
- Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Port Vale vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (All Games)
- Port Vale: 0 wins
- Arsenal: 3 wins
- Draws: 2
- Last meeting: Port Vale 1–1 (3–4p) Arsenal (Jan. 14, 1998) - FA Cup
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Port Vale vs. Arsenal on TV, Live Stream
Port Vale Team News
A serious session in the bank ahead of tomorrow's big test! 😤🏃♂️#PVFC | #PVFC150 pic.twitter.com/gyJpD75tID
— Port Vale Football Club (@OfficialPVFC) September 23, 2025
The hosts have been dealt a couple of unfortunate injury blows in the build-up to Arsenal’s visit, but on-loan Wrexham striker Mo Faal is expected to make his comeback from a hamstring injury on Wednesday night.
Going back to the bleaker news, Vale are set to be without Liam Gordon, who was forced off late on against Mansfield Town at the weekend. Mitch Clark and Kyle John also aren’t expected to return from their respective setbacks.
Port Vale Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Port Vale predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-5-2): Gauci; Humphreys, Debrah, Heneghan; Gabriel, Croasdale, Garrity, Byers, Shorrock; Cole, Curtis.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have been rocked by another injury setback, with Noni Madueke, who’s enjoyed a bright start to his career in north London, set to be out for two months with a knee issue that doesn’t require surgery.
Madueke has joined Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Ødegaard on the sidelines, but Arteta has welcomed Bukayo Saka and William Saliba back from their fitness setbacks over the past week.
Piero Hincapié will make his first start if he’s recovered from the knock that kept him out of Sunday’s game, while youngsters Max Dowman, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are all poised to be named in the starting XI.
Gabriel Martinelli could be utilised as a No. 9, with Eberechi Eze also returning to the team.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Port Vale
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Port Vale (4-3-3): Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapié, Lewis-Skelly; Nørgaard, Nwaneri, Merino; Dowman, Martinelli, Eze.
Port Vale vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Arsenal may be hindered by injuries, but their squad is immensely strong and Arteta will be able to put out a starting XI laden with quality at Vale Park.
The Gunners have swatted aside opponents of this calibre in recent years, including Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End last term, and it’s hard to envisage the hosts, despite picking up back-to-back wins in League One, troubling Arteta’s sturdy framework on Wednesday night.
This should be a comfortable evening for the visitors.
Prediction: Port Vale 0–3 Arsenal
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Port Vale vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.