FA Community Shield preview: Manchester City vs Arsenal

MANCHESTER City and Arsenal meet in Sunday’s Football season curtain raiser, and this year’s Community Shield will give us an early indication of the strength of the two Premier League challengers as they renew their struggle. 

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Community Shield Betting Preview

The Community Shield traditionally features the winners of the Premier League and the FA Cup, but since both of those trophies are currently in Manchester City’s trophy cabinet, the Premier League runner-up Arsenal will be the opponent for Pep Guardiola’s treble winners. 

In the Premier League era, this scenario of a double/treble winner taking on the Premier League runner-up has occurred seven times, and five of those games have been won by the double winner, the only exceptions occurring in 1999 and 2010. 

For Arsenal, this game is almost certainly more significant than it is for City. The Gunners mounted a strong title challenge last season, but it faded in the home stretch. As a result, the club has gone for broke in the transfer market, bringing in Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, strengthening the team considerably. Mikel Arteta will want them to make a statement early on. 

Both teams are likely to be without key players. Gabriel Jesus will not be available for Arsenal, while Guardiola may opt to keep Kevin De Bruyne on the bench even if he is fit to play. 

City’s ventures in the transfer market have not been as eye-catching as Arsenal’s, with only Mateo Kovacic added so far; however, the European and Premier League champions aren’t much in need of improvement, and when it comes to this fixture, will not be unduly concerned. City has beaten Arsenal three times already in 2023. With their first league clash coming in October, they could potentially beat the team from North London five times in a calendar year. 

Still, this game will not exactly be a priority for Guardiola’s men. Arsenal’s new additions came early in the summer, so Arteta has had plenty of time to incorporate the new guys. City will obviously be the favourite here, but with extra motivation, Arsenal looks the better bet at 18/5 with BetVictor. 

Community Shield Key Stats

• Manchester City scored seven goals against Arsenal in two Premier League games this year.
• Arsenal’s two wins over Guardiola’s City have come at Wembley.
• Arsenal has won the Community Shield 16 times, second only to Manchester United.
• Manchester City’s last Community Shield win came in 2019.
• Arsenal is technically the ‘home’ team for this game.
• Manchester City has lost four of its last seven games at Wembley.

Community Shield Best Bets

Plenty of betting markets are available for this game, as bookmakers and fans warm up for the 2023/24 season. Here are some of the best betting options for the Community Shield: 

Both teams to score – 4/6 (bet365)

Traditionally, the Community Shield does not produce a lot of goals, but things could be different this year. Manchester City scored an impressive 94 goals during the Premier League 2022/23 season, while Arsenal managed 88, and both teams were notable for their attacking play. 

The likely absence of Kevin de Bruyne will slightly reduce the number of chances that City can create, but both teams have an abundance of attacking talent with very little at stake. There will be plenty of scope for creative expression from both. Both teams to score at 4/6 with bet365 looks like a good bet, given the two teams’ styles and the number of high-quality strikers on both teams. 

Erling Haaland to Score First – 3/1 (BoyleSports)

City’s prolific striker was a huge factor in the team’s success in the 2022/23 season, and it is not particularly controversial to suggest that he is a good bet to score first here. Haaland scored 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions last season, breaking a host of records in the process. He didn’t score in any of the last eight games that City played, as teams focused intently on stopping him, but he is likely to have more room here and is a good bet to score first at 3/1 with BoyleSports. 

How to watch Manchester City v Arsenal

• Location: Wembley Stadium, London, England
• Time: Sunday, August 6, 16:00 BST.
• Where to watch: ITV1 and ITVX

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