Reigning Premier League champions Arsenal meet current FA Cup holders Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.
The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales is the arena for English soccer’s curtain-raiser, which pits last season’s Premier League title rivals against one another. Arsenal had the last laugh as they clinched a first crown in 22 years, but City still managed to complete a domestic double, including a Carabao Cup final victory over the Gunners.
The upcoming duel will be the final preseason friendly of the summer for both sides before the new league season commences, and both teams will be determined to land an early psychological blow on their adversary and clinch silverware in one fell swoop.
Arsenal’s preseason campaign has been surprisingly tumultuous to date, opening with two victories before a string of three matches without a win. Defeats to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund were followed by a draw against Como most recently, with Mikel Arteta’s usually watertight defense disappointing.
City have been comparatively quiet over recent weeks, only playing three times under new manager Enzo Maresca. A stalemate with Inter preceded 3–1 wins over the K-League All-Stars and Atlético Madrid, but it remains to be seen how they will fare in the coming campaign without Pep Guardiola for the first time in a decade.
Arsenal’s Community Shield Record: Only Manchester United (21) have won this competition more than the Gunners, who are seeking an 18th title. They have won 71% of their 24 appearances in the fixture and all of their last five—including a victory over City on penalties in 2023.
Arteta vs. Maresca: There have only been three past meetings between the former Guardiola mentees, but Maresca has failed to win any of them. During his Chelsea days, he drew twice and lost once to Arteta’s Arsenal.
Head-to-head record: City might have won the last two fixtures with Arsenal, but their record in this fixture over recent years is hardly fantastic. Before their Carabao Cup win last term, they had failed to triumph in any of their previous six against the Londoners.
