Arsenal secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the English Community Shield match on Sunday. Goals were scored by Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Ødegaard. This win serves as a strong statement of Arsenal's intentions ahead of defending their Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta's team used this annual fixture as an opportunity to demonstrate that their triumph in the title has not dampened their pursuit of success. The 'Gunners' scored their first goal just 24 seconds in, showing Enzo Maresca, City's new manager, the required level of play.
Riccardo Calafiori's quick goal was complemented by Kai Havertz's clinical header before halftime. Arsenal suppressed an disorganized Manchester City side through their signature intensity, and Martin Ødegaard scored after the break, sealing a brilliant victory.
This friendly match at Principality Stadium in Cardiff also allowed Arteta to showcase Arsenal's new signings from the transfer window. Bruno Guimarães, acquired from Newcastle for £75 million ($101 million), easily settled into midfield, while Christos Tsoulos, brought in from Club Brugge for £34 million, demonstrated active play, including two assists.
The North Londoners begin their campaign as champions for the first time since the 2004-2005 season. Already recognized as favorites to win consecutive English titles since the 1930s, Arsenal appears ready for a long period of Premier League dominance.
Their energetic performance served as the perfect warm-up before the Premier League opening match, where Coventry will visit the Emirates Stadium on August 21st. For Maresca, this was an unpleasant signal, as he witnessed how much more dynamic and cohesive Arsenal's team looked compared to his inconsistent squad.
Pep Guardiola won 20 trophies in a magnificent decade in Manchester, including the FA Cup and League Cup in his farewell season, but City has not won the title since 2024 and finished seven points behind Arsenal last season in second place.
Arteta believes his players are still 'hungry' for trophies, and the painful defeat in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in May motivates the team this season. The 'Gunners' reinforced this idea by scoring a beautifully executed goal in under a minute.
Miles Lewis-Skelly featured in Arsenal's midfield, despite rumors of his move to Chelsea and Manchester United, and the youngster showed why he is sought after by delivering a precise pass that broke down City's defense. Calafiori capitalized on this Lewis-Skelly pass, evaded tight City marking, and calmly sent the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma from a distance of 12 yards.
The left-back's goal was the fastest in the Community Shield since 1968, and dominant Arsenal scored again in the 27th minute. Martin Ødegaard found space to deliver a cross to the far post, and Tsoulos, left unattended by Abdoukodir Housanow, headed the ball into the box, where Havertz jumped over Ruben Dias and put the ball in the net.
In his first showcase match for City after moving from Nottingham Forest, England player Elliot Anderson failed to make a significant impact. City talisman Erling Haaland largely remained unnoticed, missing two good chances in the first half.
Arsenal captain Ødegaard showed his Norwegian teammate how it is done three minutes after the break. Tsoulos passed to Ødegaard, who bypassed City's defense using clever dribbling, leaving Donnarumma confused, and scored close to the goal.
Only City managed to become Premier League champions among the previous 15 Community Shield winners in 2019. Judging by their sunny stroll in Cardiff, Arsenal's 18th Community Shield trophy will not be the last trophy Ødegaard wins this season.
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