Less than two months after their triumphant UEFA Champions League final victory against Inter Milan, Manchester City sets their sights on more silverware as they face Arsenal in the FA Community Shield. Despite a fantastic 2022/23 campaign, City has faced challenges during the summer, losing key players İlkay Gündoğan and Riyad Mahrez, while welcoming the arrivals of Mateo Kovačić and Joško Gvardiol.
Pep Guardiola’s squad still boasts immense quality, as highlighted by their remarkable treble-winning run, where they lost just one of their last 26 matches (W20, D5). This will be City’s 16th appearance at Wembley in cup competitions under Guardiola (W10, L5). However, the Community Shield hasn’t been a particularly favorable competition for them, with two consecutive losses in their last appearances and a historically negative win-loss record (W6, L8).
On the other hand, Arsenal has been in fine form in the Community Shield, winning their last four appearances, including a convincing 3-0 victory against City in 2014. A triumph in this fixture would be their 17th, placing them second in all-time Community Shield victories, only behind Manchester United (21). This early-season showdown against last year’s Premier League top-two provides an opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s side to make a statement of intent after a disappointing end to the previous campaign, where they won just three of their last nine matches (D3, L3).
Arsenal has reason for optimism, with an unbeaten record in their last three trips to Wembley (W2, D1). However, their ongoing eight-match losing streak against Manchester City presents a significant challenge. The Gunners have managed just one win in their last 16 meetings (L15), making it clear that they’ll be aiming for revenge on the national stadium’s hallowed turf.
Key Battle: The prolific Erling Haaland, coming off an impressive 52-goal season, poses a formidable threat to Arsenal’s defense. He directly contributed to four goals against the Gunners in three previous meetings last season (G2, A2). Arsenal’s William Saliba will be tasked with thwarting Haaland, who lost only three of his 27 Premier League appearances last term (W21, D3).
Hot Stat: Mikel Arteta faces a daunting record against Pep Guardiola, losing nine out of ten meetings, including one where he remained absent due to COVID. This makes Guardiola the manager with the lowest win rate against Arteta in at least two head-to-heads.
WILL NOT PLAY:
- Mohamed Elneny (Knock)
- Gabriel Jesus (Knee Injury)
- Albert Sambi Lokonga (Muscle Injury)
- Oleksandr Zinchenko (Calf Injury)
QUESTIONABLE:
- Nathan Aké (Lacking Match Fitness)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Thigh Injury)
- Folarin Balogun (Ankle Injury)
- Reiss Nelson (Toe Injury)
It’s a clash of the titans at Wembley, where both teams will be eager to claim the first piece of silverware of the new season. Who will emerge victorious in the FA Community Shield? Don’t miss out on this thrilling encounter! ⚽🔥 #MCFCvsAFC #CommunityShield #PremierLeague #FootballIsBack
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