Arsenal vs Man City LIVE: Community Shield result, final score and reaction as Gunners win on penalties
Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola meet once more at Wembley
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
The Community Shield is always a game for the calendar - the official opening of elite action in England’s men’s game. This time around it’s treble-winners Manchester City and last season’s Premier League runners-up Arsenal who meet at Wembley, fighting for the first prize of the new campaign.
Mikel Arteta has added the likes of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to his squad this summer, while Mateo Kovacic has traded Chelsea for Man City as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.
While not usually a match which foretells the fortunes of the season ahead, it’s still an intriguing opportunity to see where these respective squads are ahead of the opening game of the 2023/24 league next term. Follow live updates from the Community Shield at Wembley below:
72’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
City mounting rather omre pressure now. They seem to have stepped up a gear without much trouble, while Arsenal - maybe tiring, no subs yet - are now finding it a lot harder to get out of their own defensive third.
68’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
First big chance of note for City this half. It’s worked from left to right with Foden teeing up Palmer in the bo - his shot is blocked by Timber and flicks just over Ramsdale’s crossbar.
The short corner is worked all the way back out to Walker and his deep cross is cleared behind for yet another set piece on the opposite side.
64’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
Rice, tracking back, earns his first big roar of appreciation from the Arsenal fans for robbing Silva of the ball and setting the Gunners back on the front foot.
Moments later a fizzing cross from White is only half-met by Saka, then is quickly blocked and cleared. Arsenal continue to produce by far the more dangerous moments of the match.
60’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
Martinelli makes ground down the left, it’s worked back to Rice who curls one in first time...and nearly finds the upper tier of the Wembley stands.
More City subs on the way: Cole Palmer and Kevin de Bruyne for Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic.
56’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
Grealish replaced by Phil Foden as Pep goes to his bench first.
Dias overruns the ball slightly and clips Saka on the follow through - the England winger goes down but there’s no card out this time.
52’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
Odegaard is down for treatment so the rest of the 19 outfielders sprint across for a drinks break and some furious managerial gesticulation.
He looks fine to continue, the Arsenal skipper, and we’re back underway once more.
48’ - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
Early possession for City but not too much in the way of breaking Arsenal’s defensive lines. Guardiola has a few words with Stones which were clearly too important to say at half time all of three minutes ago.
Grealish beats White and crosses from the left, but Saliba, Thomas and Gabriel clear between them.
HT - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
All square at the break. Mikel Arteta and Kai Havertz among those in the book - more niggles and fouls than massive chances in that half.
The best have fallen to Arsenal’s new signing Havertz, but he’s been denied twice - Rodri has twice gone close from long range for Man City.
HT - Arsenal 0-0 Man City
And that’s the whistle. Strong first 45 from the Gunners overall, if only in bursts. City the more controlled team as you’d exect and they don’t look ruffled by anything Arsenal have thrown their way, but haven’t made much happen either.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments