Charity Shield: It’s Curtain-Raiser Time!

Arsenal vs Manchester City

If there was one opponent Arsenal would want to see the back of last season, it was Manchester City.

For a few months, it looked like the North Londoners may be able to surprise the red-hot favourites and claim English football’s top prize for the first time in almost two decades.

Yet the smart money was always on City and so it proved as the Gunners were unable to replicate their superb first half of the campaign and were reeled in and, ultimately, spat out.

Three times they met in three months and all three victories went the way of City.

So, who will triumph in the Charity Shield this weekend?

PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal

Nottingham Forest

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Talking Points

Arsenal of course!

They have a real incentive to lay down an early marker and City appear to be a little further behind in their pre-season preparations.

That is hardly any surprise. After all, it’s less than two months since they completed the final part of a memorable ‘treble’.

Since then, they have bid farewell to captain Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez and welcomed in Mateo Kovacic and, very soon, Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.

One of the most highly-rated young defenders in the game, he won back-to-back titles with Zagreb, signing off with a league and cup double before making his move to the Bundesliga.

RB Leipzig twice qualified for the Champions League during Gvardiol’s time in Germany as a result of their fourth and third-placed finishes in the Bundesliga. The club that has sold him were effectively knocked out of the Champions League twice in the past two seasons by the club he has now joined.

That just shows how strong City are and will continue to be and certainly sends a signal the Treble winners are not resting on past glories.

As for Arsenal, they have suffered an early blow as Gabriel Jesus will miss the start of the Premier League campaign after manager Mikel Arteta confirmed the forward has had a minor operation – the Brazil international missed three months of last season after suffering a knee injury at the World Cup.

Jesus impressed after his move from City last summer but now faces a short spell on the sidelines having gone under the knife after “irritation” with the original knee problem.

While he won’t be around to produce any Charity Shield highlights, plenty of others will be hoping to. For me, Arsenal have recruited most impressively this summer. Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber have all arrived in North London and Arsenal should be significantly stronger as a result.

Fans are excited to see Declan Rice make his competitive debut in the Charity Shield — Arsenal’s Declan Rice during the match against AS Monaco

What’s more, William Saliba should return – a player whose loss to injury some pinpointed as the turning point in their league form – while the continued development of Bukayo Saka (for club and country) and Eddie Nketiah – a year older and wiser in the top flight – should all make Arteta’s men that bit more durable.

How they deal with the Premier League and Champions League schedule – they’ve not been at Europe’s top table since 2017 – could decide whether they can challenge again for the title.

That is for another day though. I think the first piece of silverware in the new season will go their way.

History

While Arsenal have vast superiority in the overall head-to-head record, City have held a distinct upper hand since their takeover in 2008 saw them inherit new-found wealth.

Indeed, they have won their last 12 matches against the Gunners in the Premier League.

In the FA Cup in late January, a contest between much-changed sides was settled by a Nathan Ake goal.

That was seen as potentially a big help to Arsenal in their quest for league glory.

Just a few weeks later, though, City went to North London and returned with three points as Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored in a 3-1 win. Saka netted a first-half penalty for Arsenal.

By the time of the return league game in late April, City were firmly in the ascendancy and effectively ended Arsenal’s challenge with a 4-1 romp.

De Bruyne (two), John Stones and Haaland were the marksmen with Rob Holding adding what amounted to no more than a consolation.

It was City’s eighth straight win over Arsenal and a 15th success in the last 16.

Overall, they have 65 wins in these clashes with 98 Arsenal triumphs and 45 draws.