An injury-hit Arsenal will be hoping to avoid a Carabao Cup shock as Mikel Arteta’s side begin their campaign with a trip to Port Vale.
A dramatic draw against Manchester City came at a cost for the Premier League title hopefuls, with Noni Madueke suffering a knee injury to add to Arteta’s concerns. A forward line that looked deep at the start of the season has been hit significantly, though this game may provide opportunities for youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman, among others, to impress.
Looking to cause an upset are Port Vale, who reached this round by beating ambitious Birmingham. A poor start to the League One season has given way to an encouraging period for manager Darren Moore, with two wins in their last two games giving the Staffordshire club a degree of momentum. Even with Arsenal rotating, this will be a stern test - but Vale might just catch their visitors napping...
Follow all of the latest from the third-round tie with our live blog below:
Port Vale vs Arsenal live
- Port Vale host Arsenal in the third round of the Carabao Cup | Live on Sky Sports with kick off at 8pm BST
- 36' SAVE! Gauci stand tall to deny Eze a second goal (PVL 0-1 ARS)
- 8' GOAL! Ebere Eze slots Arsenal into the lead (PVL 0-1 ARS)
GOAL! Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal (Leandro Trossard, 86')
21:43 , Mike JonesGame over!
William Saliba sends the ball long and picks out Leandro Trossard’s run.
He brings the ball under control, carries it into the box and rolls it past Joe Gauci.
Arsenal have their win.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:41 , Mike Jones84 mins: Arsenal are managing the game. The second goal hasn’t come and they’re not pushing for it.
Instead they’re maintaining possession and limiting the opportunities for the hosts.
The Gunners have had over 600 passes completed in this match such has been their control.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:40 , Mike Jones81 mins: Into the last 10 minutes and there’s a fearless nature to Port Vale’s play.
They’ve already performed well and are chasing the equaliser with no fear of conceding again.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:36 , Mike Jones78 mins: Close!
Arsenal’s substitutes combine as Dowman flicks a pass over the top for Viktor Gyokeres.
The striker takes too many touches before shooting and is closed down by Cameron Humphreys and Joe Gauci.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:34 , Mike Jones75 mins: 15 minutes to go and the pressure from Port Vale is immense.
Devante Cole takes a shot from outside the area and just sees his effort dip over the crossbar!
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:30 , Mike Jones72 mins: Gabriel Martinelli attempts to get Arsenal into the final third and makes a dart in behind.
Port Vale manage to keep him outside the area and the winger is forced to retreat.
There’s more of an urgency to Arsenal. They seem to know they need another goal to be safe.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:27 , Mike Jones69 mins: The Port Vale fans believe.
They’re getting louder and louder as this match goes on. A long throw comes to the edge of the Arsenal box but it’s dealt with.
Vale recover the ball and whip in a cross but it flies out of play for a goal kick.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:24 , Mike Jones66 mins: The Arsenal fans greet the introduction of Max Dowman with excitement and start to chant: ‘He’s got school in the morning, he’s got school in the morning!’
Downman sets up on the right wing and makes a run off the ball. The pass comes over to him but the ball drops over his head and out of play.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:20 , Mike Jones63 mins: With the hour mark come and gone Arteta now turns to his bench.
15-year-old Max Dowman, a highly-rated youth player with Arsenal, is introduced to replace Bukayo Saka.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:17 , Mike Jones60 mins: Mikel Arteta doesn’t look too happy.
He’d like his team to put the game to bed so he can make some changes but Arsenal have been stuck for a little while.
There’s no real click going forward.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:16 , Mike Jones57 mins: Arsenal win a corner that gets swung into the near post by Saka.
Mosquera attacks it and the ball heads behind. He thinks it’s another corner but the referee awards a goal kick.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:13 , Mike Jones54 mins: Ronan Curtis is grappled to the ground by Mikel Merino and wins a free kick.
Over 16,000 fans are in attendance tonight and this is the biggest attendance at Vale Park since the last time they hosted Liverpool here.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:10 , Mike Jones51 mins: Saka takes a clatter and hits the deck. He hobbles back to his feet and grimaces.
Mikel Arteta looks worried but his star man is fine and jogs off the pain.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:06 , Mike Jones48 mins: Port Vale fling the ball into the box from the right and it almost drops to Ronan Curtis.
There’s a scramble and Ethan Nwaneri scoops the ball away.
Somehow it frees up Martinelli to drive forward on a counter-attack but Gauci comes sprinting off his line and beats the attacker to the ball.
Second half! Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
21:03 , Mike JonesPort Vale get the ball rolling again.
If they can score, level the match and hold out to full-time the game would go straight to penalties.
HT Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:58 , Mike JonesTonight’s current score lines. All four Premier League sides are ahead:
Huddersfield Town 0-1 Man City
Newcastle United 2-0 Bradford City
Tottenham 2-0 Doncaster Rovers
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
HT Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:53 , Mike Jones
Half-time! Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:46 , Mike Jones45+1 mins: The whistle goes to end the first half.
Ebere Eze has given the Gunners the lead in a dominant 45 minutes but Port Vale has stuck in there well.
What will the second half bring?
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:44 , Mike Jones43 mins: There’s been a few heavy tackles put in from both teams and there’s a nice bit of physicality to the game.
Nothing serious or dangerous but enough to get the crowd excited.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:41 , Mike Jones40 mins: Connor Hall has a shot blocked after a Port Vale corner drops to him.
The hosts have had five touches inside the Arsenal box and two shots blocked within the last five minutes.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:36 , Mike Jones36 mins: Save!
That’s another smooth move from the Gunners. The ball comes inside from the right and is picked up by Merino.
He slips in Eze who takes a first time shot but Joe Gauci stands tall and makes a solid save to keep Port Vale in the contest.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:33 , Mike Jones33 mins: Gabriel swings a cross in from the right wing as Port Vale go on a rare foray up the pitch.
Cristian Mosquera is there to easily head the ball clear but these are promising signs for the League One side.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:30 , Mike Jones30 mins: Half an hour played and it’s been hard work for Port Vale.
The big fear is that they get tired later in the match and Arsenal run rampant.
Darren Moore will need to manage his substitutions well. He’s deep in conversation on the touchline, probably debating how to get more possession.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:27 , Mike Jones27 mins: Oh hello!
A long ball over the top sees Jordan Gabriel dart in behind the high Arsenal line.
He’s beaten to the ball by Kepa Arrizabalaga flying out of his area and the offside flag is raised.
The replays show it was closer than initially thought though.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:25 , Mike Jones24 mins: Liam Gordon, one of Port Vale’s key men, was subbed off at the weekend in the win over Mansfield.
He’s a big Arsenal fan and would have wanted to feature in tonight’s match but he has to settle for a seat in the stands.
His face is shown on the big screen and the home fans give him a loud cheer.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:22 , Mike Jones21 mins: As expected Arsenal have dominated possession and it’s a tough task for Port Vale to get close to them.
Mikel Arteta will want at least one more goal before he starts thinking about resting his key players for the weekend.
Mikel Merino receives the ball on a quick break and holds it up waiting for reinforcements. Arsenal work it over to Martinelli who cuts in from the left and lifts a cross out of play.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:18 , Mike Jones18 mins: Again Headley does well. This time there’s a through ball for Saka’s dart in behind.
Headley sticks with him and touches the ball out for a corner.
The set piece is played short and there’s some faffing about before Saka eventually manages to lift the ball into the box.
Port Vale deal with it.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:15 , Mike Jones14 mins: Jaheim Headley is in for a tough night as he’s being charged with keeping Bukayo Saka at bay.
He does well tracking back to hold off the winger but Saka comes away with the ball and Arsenal look to build another attack.
Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal
20:12 , Mike Jones11 mins: The goal was a lovely, slick move which shows just how much of a gap there is between the different leagues.
Arsenal are just quicker and more precise on the ball.
Ethan Nwaneri drives forward and curls a shot at goal only for a deflection to take it wide of the back post.
GOAL! Port Vale 0-1 Arsenal (Ebere Eze, 8')
20:08 , Mike JonesThere’s the opener!
Ebere Eze receives the ball just inside the box as Martinelli passes it in from the left.
He guides a cool finish underneath the arms of Joe Gauci and sends Arsenal ahead.
A tough task has just become harder for Port Vale.
Port Vale 0-0 Arsenal
20:07 , Mike Jones7 mins: Arsenal are trying to camp themselves in Port Vale’s final third.
There’s a lot of pressure on the defence but it’s been up to the task so far.
Both Saka and Martinelli are confident of taking on the wingbacks and crosses aplenty are coming in.
Port Vale 0-0 Arsenal
20:05 , Mike Jones6 mins: The home side have started well and are getting into some decent areas pushing Arsenal back into their own half.
The Gunners sweep forward with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Martinelli but they are stopped in their tracks.
A switch of play brings the ball to Bukayo Saka who receives some good natured boos from the home fans. It’s their way of acknowledging how good he is and trying to throw him off his game.
Saka whips a cross to the back post and almost finds the arriving Lewis-Skelly only for the Vale to nod it away.
Port Vale 0-0 Arsenal
20:03 , Mike Jones3 mins: Jordan Gabriel launches a long throw into the Arsenal box but the visitors clear the danger without issue.
The Arsenal fans are making themselves heard already. The atmosphere is loud and electric.
Kick off! Port Vale 0-0 Arsenal
20:00 , Mike JonesThe Gunners get the ball rolling at Vale Park as they search for a spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
A long cross over to the left sends the ball out of play.
Gabriel Martinelli has started out on the left for Arsenal with Mikel Merino playing as the central striker.
Ready to go
19:51 , Mike JonesThe warm ups are done and dusted. Kick off is up soon and Arsenal look keen to get this done.
The Carabao Cup fourth round draw takes place after tonight’s match so stick around after the game for all the reaction to the draw.
Darren Moore speaking to Sky Sports
19:45 , Mike JonesThe Port Vale boss said: “It’s definitely a night to embrace, to savour, to enjoy but also to be committed and ready to perform.
“It’s about the squad, how the game will ebb and flow. We’ll try to start on the front foot, we have experienced boys to bring on and it will be a tough game.
“Can we start well? Can we finish it? There’s a generation of Port Vale fans who haven’t seen a Premier League team at Vale Park so tonight is an honour.
“The morale around the football club, and the excitement, is there for all to see.”
Port Vale's route to the third round
19:40 , Mike JonesPort Vale won away at both Blackpool and Birmingham to book their place in the third round.
The hosts, managed by Darren Moore, have not been in the best of form in League One .
They have won just two of their first nine league games and sit down in 19th
However, they did beat Mansfield 2-1 at home last weekend and their performances have been strong.
How to watch the Carabao Cup fourth-round draw
19:35 , Mike JonesThe draw will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports News, while subscribers can also watch on the Sky Go app.
It will also be available for free via the Carabao Cup social media channels.
When is the Carabao Cup fourth-round draw?
19:30 , Mike JonesThe draw will take place tonight, Wednesday 24 September 2025, following the conclusion of Arsenal’s tie against Port Vale.
It is expected to start around 10.15pm BST although could be delayed if the game ends in a draw after 90 minutes goes to penalties.
Will Saka feature tonight?
19:25 , Mike JonesBukayo Saka would usually sit out a league cup match against opposition two leagues below Arsenal but having recovered from injury he needs gametime.
“He needs minutes and he's demanding that as well,” Arteta confirmed.
“Obviously, when he's been out for a while, you just need to get in the rhythm, you need to get that confidence on the pitch and repeat actions and exposure.
“We will do that, gradually, because he's been out for a while. But I like what I saw the other day when he came on.”
Arteta explains lack of minutes for Lewis-Skelly
19:20 , Mike JonesMyles Lewis-Skelly was a breakout star for Arsenal last season but has found his game time limited so far this year.
“Sometimes it's performances of other players as well,” Mikel Arteta explained when asked why this was the case.
“You can be at a really good level but somebody can be at a different level, or it’s just that I have the perception at the moment that it's better to play or start somebody else in the team.
“It doesn’t mean Myles has done something wrong at all, completely the opposite. So when he has the chance, he has to try to show the level that he's at, elevate it, and make the decision even harder.”
Can Port Vale beat Arsenal?
19:15 , Mike JonesMikel Arteta has made a heap of changes to the starting XI for this match but will that be enough to help Port Vale win?
The Gunners have only lost once this season - 1-0 to Liverpool in the Premier League - and they come into the match having salvaged a draw against Man City last time out.
Port Vale meanwhile are 19th in League One with only two wins on the board from their nine matches.
Pre-match thoughts from Darren Moore
19:10 , Mike JonesThe Port Vale manager says tonight’s match will be a ‘wonderful game’ for the football club and that he is looking forward to facing Arsenal.
Moore said: “Now we’ve approached the game, it’s a wonderful game for us all connected at the football club.
“For us to be going into a cup tie against one of the renowned names in the football world is a wonderful occasion.
“You’re playing a team that’s looking to be one of the front runners to win the Premier League. It’s a cup match, a one-off game, and the players get to pit their wits against the very elite.”
Former Arsenal striker Billy Vigar in induced coma after colliding with concrete wall
19:05 , Mike JonesFormer Arsenal starlet Billy Vigar has been placed in an induced coma after reportedly colliding with a concrete wall during a match. The incident is said to have left him with a “significant brain injury”.
The striker, who now plays for Chichester City in the Isthmian League Premier Division, endured the sickening collision in Saturday’s game against Wingate and Finchley while attempting to prevent the ball from crossing the touchline.
Former Arsenal striker in induced coma after colliding with concrete wall
Port Vale side to face Arsenal
19:04 , Mike JonesPort Vale XI: Gauci; Debrah, Humphreys, C. Hall; Gabriel, Croasdale, G. Hall, Walters, Headley; Curtis, Paton
TEAM NEWS 📰
— Port Vale Football Club (@OfficialPVFC) September 24, 2025
Your Valiants to take on the Gunners this evening!#PVFC | @TheTurmericCo pic.twitter.com/qxtcwJjLCG
Arsenal team changes
19:00 , Mike JonesMikel Arteta has made a bunch of changes to the Arsenal team that faced Man City last weekend.
Mikel Merino and William Saliba are the only ones to keep their places.
Instead their are starts for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Christian Norgaard while Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly return to the back line.
It’s a strong line up and Arteta will be hopeful his team can take the advantage early on.
Arsenal team to take on Port Vale
18:56 , Mike JonesArsenal XI: Kepa; White, Saliba, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino; Saka, Eze, Nwaneri; Martinelli
🔵 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🔘
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 24, 2025
🧤 Kepa between the sticks
🆕 Norgaard makes full debut
©️ Saka skippers the side
Let's get our cup run off to a winning start, Gunners 👊
'It's an honour' says Garrity
18:53 , Mike JonesPort Vale captain Ben Garrity says it is ‘an honour’ to lead the team for their Carabao Cup clash with Arsenal tonight.
Speaking ahead of kick off he said: “It's an honour really [to captain the side]. We get the chance to go toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in Europe, so it’ll be interesting and we’re not there to make up the numbers.
“It’s 11 players against another 11 players - regardless of them being top players, we’re good players as well.
“You’ve seen Grimsby, they beat [Manchester] United, and I don’t see why we can’t go and the do the same thing they did”.
Port Vale vs Arsenal match officials
18:47 , Mike JonesAndrew Kitchen will take charge of this third round Carabao Cup clash in what will be his first time refereeing a match featuring Arsenal.
The match officials are as follows:
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Assistants: Shaun Hudson, Sam Lewis
Fourth official: Andrew Humphries.
There will be no VAR in use for this fixture.
Arsenal injuries piling up
18:42 , Mike JonesNoni Madueke becomes the latest Arsenal player to suffer an injury at the start of this season.
Mikel Arteta was asked for thoughts on why Arsenal’s players are getting injured a lot.
“We've looked at everything,” Arteta said, “The one with Noni (Madueke) is bad luck, an unfortunate incident.
“The one with Kai (Havertz) is similar. Ben White was similar. Martin (Odegaard) was similar, he injured his shooulder twice with the same action on the floor.
"With Bukayo (Saka), it's more of a muscular injury so maybe that's one to look at more in-depth. We try to keep injuries as low as possible."
Noni Madueke’s absence is Arsenal’s latest injury blow (Getty)
Arteta in Madueke's injury
18:36 , Mike JonesNoni Madueke has gone down with a knee injury and looks to be out of action for a while.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed that the injury would sideline the winger after his strong start to the season.
"It looks like he will be out for a few weeks,” Arteta said. “It looks like we will have to scan him again next week. He felt something in the beginning of the match, at half-time it was too sore.
"He was gutted, disappointed because he was in such a good state. He was getting consistency and flow and was looking like a big threat."
Mikel Arteta confirms Noni Madueke injury severity in latest Arsenal blow
18:30 , Jamie BraidwoodArsenal will be without winger Noni Madueke “for a few weeks” after suffering a knee injury in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday.
Madueke, who has made a bright start to his Arsenal career since arriving from Chelsea, was replaced by Bukayo Saka at half time and underwent scans on Monday.
Mikel Arteta confirms Noni Madueke injury severity in latest Arsenal blow
Arsenal's early team news
18:24 , Mike JonesNoni Madueke has joined Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz on the sidelines for Arsenal, who were also without Piero Hincapie against Manchester City. Kepa Arrizabalaga could make his debut in goal if David Raya is rested; young Max Dowman may get a chance to impress.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Kepa; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Dowman, Norgaard, Merino; Nwaneri, Trossard, Martinelli.
Port Vale early team news
18:18 , Mike JonesMo Faal and Ronan Curtis could be promoted into the Port Vale starting side having impressed as half-time introductions off the bench in the 2-1 win over Mansfield.
Predicted Port Vale XI: Gauci; Debrah, Humpreys, Hall; Gabriel, Croasdale, Byers, Garrity, Gordon; Faal, Curtis.
How can I watch it?
18:12 , Mike JonesViewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event. A live stream will be available via Sky Go and NOW.
When is Port Vale vs Arsenal?
18:06 , Mike JonesPort Vale vs Arsenal is due to kick off at 8pm BST at Vale Park on Wednesday 24 September.
Port Vale vs Arsenal
18:00 , Mike JonesFresh from a dramatic draw against Manchester City, Arsenal embark on their Carabao Cup campaign with a trip to Port Vale.
Mikel Arteta’s side snatched a potentially crucial point late on thanks to substitute Gabriel Martinelli, though ceded more early ground to Liverpool in the title race.
A midweek outing in English football’s secondary cup competition should give Arteta opportunity to rotate and some of those on the fringes a chance to push for places in the first team.
Vale upset Birmingham in the second round and have won their last two games in League One as manager Darren Moore looks to instigate an upturn in fortunes following a tricky start to the season.
Port Vale vs Arsenal live
09:33 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe third round of the Carabao Cup is nearing a conclusion, with just a handful of ties tonight before the draw is made later. Fresh from a dramatic draw against Manchester City, Arsenal have made their way to Staffordshire to take on a Port Vale side buoyed by back-to-back wins in League One. Can they cause an upset against Premier League opposition?
Kick off is at 8pm BST.
