Treble winners Manchester City will kick off their 2023-24 campaign against Arsenal in the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season, on August 6.
This will be the 101st edition of the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, where the first silverware of the new English campaign is up for grabs. With Pep Guardiola’s Man City winning both the Premier League title and FA Cup, league runners-up Arsenal will play the English champions on the first weekend of August.
The Sky Blues wrap up their pre-season tour of Asia against Atletico Madrid on Sunday before returning home, while the Gunners face AS Monaco in the Emirates Cup final at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday ahead of their Community Shield clash in London. With both teams raring to start the new season by winning the showpiece event, here are three key battles to watch out on the pitch.
#Erling Haaland vs Arsenal centre-backs
Erling Haaland tore Premier League records apart in his debut campaign in England, playing a pivotal role in City’s treble success. He smashed the record for most Premier League goals in a single season, and the record for most goals scored by a player from an English club in a UEFA Champions League season, to enjoy a spectacular season.
Haaland has continued that form into the pre-season tour of Asia, scoring a brace off the bench in City’s first pre-season friendly in July—a 5-3 win over Yokohama F. Marinos. With the Norwegian goal machine in top condition and raring to go again, Arsenal’s defence will have to be on their toes throughout the game at Wembley Stadium.
William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus—Arsenal’s first-choice centre-back pairing from last season—are expected to have their task cut out against Haaland. The centre-back duo, along with the full-backs, have to be compact, disciplined and switched on to keep the City star at bay.
#Martin Odegaard vs Rodri
Martin Odegaard has been one of the most influential creative midfielders in the Premier League in the last two years. He was named the captain of Arsenal by Mikel Arteta at the start of the last campaign and he no doubt led from the front, scoring 15 goals and supplying seven assists in 37 league games to help the club to second-place finish in the table.
With the addition of Declan Rice to the team, Odegaard should find more freedom to roam in and around the final third and cause damage to the opposition. Due to the Norwegian playmaker’s flair and vision, he will undoubtedly be a source of concern for Man City.
Stopping Odegaard will be key and there is no one better in the Man City team than Rodri to do that job. Arguably the best defensive midfielder in Europe right now, Rodri will be tasked with nullifying the Arsenal skipper’s threat whilst providing a platform for creative players such as Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva to create problems for the Arsenal backline.
If the Spaniard can stop Odegaard from being his natural self, City’s chances of winning the Community Shield will become higher.
#Jack Grealish vs Jurrien Timber
Jack Grealish was one of the best wide players in the Premier League last season. With his dribbling skills, ball control and burst of pace, he was unstoppable at times.
The England international is expected to start on the left flank in City’s 3-2-4-1 system. Grealish will look to take the game to Arsenal’s new boy, Jurrien Timber, who has made a positive impact in the ongoing pre-season tour of the United States following his move from Ajax.
The Netherlands international has played at both full-back positions for the Gunners in the pre-season games so far. Defensively diligent and aggressive going forward, Timber could get the nod at right-back ahead of Ben White, who was the club’s first-choice right-back last season.
Timber will be wary of not allowing Grealish too much time and space on the ball while finding a way to try pinning the City star back as much as possible. On the other hand, when Timber will move in midfield to essay his role as an inverted full-back, Grealish will look to exploit the space left by the Dutchman on the right. All in all, this has the makings of one of Arsenal vs City’s more decisive battles.
