Arsenal agreed to play their League Cup fixture against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday to help the away side prepare for their game against Stoke City.

COMMERCE CITY, CO - JULY 15: Arsenal manager Unai Emery waves to fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on July 15, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
COMMERCE CITY, CO – JULY 15: Arsenal manager Unai Emery waves to fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 15, 2019, in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The Daily Mail report that as a gesture of good faith, Arsenal agreed to play their League Cup clash a day earlier than planned.

The Gunners were set to play on Wednesday, to fit the game in with their league match against Aston Villa on Sunday. The problem was that Forest were also set to play against Stoke on Friday.

One of the two teams had to play two games in three days, whichever way it went. Considering Arsenal don’t play again until Monday night, they decided that extra rest period meant they could afford two quickfire matches at home.

That’s the official word, anyway. We all know the real reason was so Forest could be as well prepared as possible to go and beat Stoke, helping them on their way down to League One.

Eight games into the season, Stoke have just two points, so they’re looking like an early candidate for relegation. Forest are sixth in the table, 17 places above their upcoming opponents, so with the extra day of rest, it should be a straightforward match for them.