Kick-off Third round
Reading
1–2
Brentford
Full timeBrentford go through
Finished Result checked:
Carabao Cup · 2026/27
Reading Carabao Cup fixtures and results 2026/27
Reading's 5–7 defeat by Arsenal is one of those results that needs more than a scoreline. The Royals led by four goals, and the match still required extra time. Alongside the current Carabao Cup fixtures above, this guide separates that extraordinary 2012 evening from Reading's other cup meetings with the Gunners.
UK kick-off times · GMT / BSTUpdated twice daily · Last fixture check: 14 Nov 2026, 18:00 GMT
Reading: cup campaign
League One · Eliminated
Reading 1–2 Brentford. Full time. Brentford go through. Reading are out of this season’s Carabao Cup.
Latest Carabao Cup result
Reading fixtures, results and UK TV
3 matchesKick-off First round
Bromley
1–1
Reading
After penaltiesReading win 5–4 on penaltiesReading go through
Finished Result checked:
Kick-off Second round
Stevenage
0–3
Reading
Full timeReading go through
Finished Result checked:
Kick-off Third round
Reading
1–2
Brentford
Full timeBrentford go through
Finished Result checked:
How a four-goal lead became a 5–7 result
Reading went 4–0 ahead on 30 October 2012 through Jason Roberts, a Laurent Koscielny own goal, Mikele Leigertwood and Noel Hunt. Theo Walcott replied before the interval, leaving the Royals 4–1 up at half-time in the fourth-round tie.
Arsenal recovered to 4–4 and the game went into extra time. Pavel Pogrebnyak later scored Reading's fifth, but Arsenal finished with seven. Walcott completed a hat-trick, while Marouane Chamakh scored twice during the additional period.
The 5–7 result includes extra time; it is not a penalty-shoot-out score. For anyone watching the goals again, the useful checkpoints are Reading's four-goal lead, Arsenal's recovery before the end of normal time and the further exchange in extra time. They explain how a commanding start became a twelve-goal defeat.
The Royals' route and another Arsenal fourth round
Reading reached the 2012/13 fourth round through successive 3–2 victories. Peterborough were beaten at home in round two, followed by QPR away in round three. All three of Reading's ties that season therefore contained at least five goals.
Arsenal were also Reading's fourth-round opponents in 2016/17, although that meeting ended in a 2–0 away defeat. The Royals had beaten Plymouth, progressed on penalties against MK Dons and won at Brighton before visiting Arsenal on that later occasion.
There is another important distinction in the club's record: the 2015 Wembley semi-final against Arsenal was in the FA Cup. That match should not be combined with either League Cup campaign. Checking the competition, round and season together is especially useful for Reading supporters searching for older Arsenal highlights or match reports.
Reading and Arsenal cup questions
Was Reading 5–7 Arsenal decided in normal time?
No. The teams were level at 4–4 before extra time. The final 5–7 score includes the goals scored in the additional period.
Who did Reading beat before Arsenal in 2012?
The Royals won 3–2 against Peterborough at home and then 3–2 away to QPR, reaching the fourth round with two high-scoring victories.
Was the 2015 Wembley game also a League Cup tie?
No, it was an FA Cup semi-final. Reading's League Cup fourth-round meetings discussed here were in October 2012 and the 2016/17 season.
Guide review
Reviewed . Scores are checked twice daily. Fixture times and TV selections can change.