Arsenal begin season with dominant Community Shield victory over Manchester City

By Joel Kavanagh — 16 August 2026 — 4 min read

Arsenal began their season with a decisive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, and Martin Ødegaard secured the win for the Gunners.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed surprise at his team’s convincing performance, noting to TNT Sports that their manner of play was “extremely impressive.” In contrast, new City manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola this summer, downplayed the significance of the result, stating it was “just the beginning” despite the defeat.

Arsenal’s Strong Start

The match saw Arsenal take an early lead, with Calafiori scoring after just 23 seconds. Havertz doubled their advantage in the 28th minute, and Ødegaard added a third goal three minutes into the second half. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown commented on the “stunning” gap between the two sides, observing that Arsenal played with freedom while Manchester City appeared “lifeless.”

The statistical data from the game also highlighted Arsenal’s dominance. The Gunners generated 2.19 expected goals (xG) compared to City’s 0.77. Notably, none of Arsenal’s xG came from set-pieces, indicating their strong open-play performance. This victory marked Arsenal’s largest win to nil against Manchester City since August 2014, when they also secured a 3-0 Community Shield win. For City, it was their heaviest defeat to nil against an English side since a 4-0 loss in November.

Arsenal captain Ødegaard told TNT Sports that the team showed their “level today” and were “ready” for the season. The win represents Arsenal’s second trophy in four months.

Squad Changes and Managerial Transitions

Both clubs have seen significant activity during the summer transfer window. Manchester City made an early move by agreeing a deal for England midfielder Elliot Anderson. However, they have also seen departures, with Bernardo Silva and John Stones leaving on free transfers, and Manuel Akanji, Nathan Aké, and James Trafford being sold for substantial fees. Rodri is also reportedly heading to Barcelona, with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez mentioned as a potential replacement.

City’s new manager Maresca gave Erling Haaland and Anderson their first appearances of the summer against Arsenal. Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin noted that Anderson, despite his efforts, was “not fitting brilliantly well yet” and described it as a “transition time” for City.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have primarily sold fringe players. They have brought in Christos Tzolis and secured last season’s loanee Piero Hincapié on a permanent deal. Bruno Guimarães also featured in Arsenal’s midfield. Tzolis particularly impressed in the match with two assists, playing a role in all three goals. Arsenal also demonstrated their squad depth by bringing on players like Declan Rice from the bench.

Arteta highlighted Tzolis’s quality, particularly in the final third, praising his composure and decisiveness. He also spoke about the team’s preparation during pre-season and the players’ desire to win the competition. Arteta confirmed that the club is looking for defensive additions due to injuries, stating they will act if the “right opportunity” arises.

Implications for the Season Ahead

The Community Shield result has led to discussions about Arsenal’s prospects for the upcoming season. Sir Alex Ferguson, a ten-time Community Shield winner, previously referred to the match as a “stepping stone” for the season. Since the Premier League began in 1992-93, only eight of the 34 Community Shield winners have gone on to win the league title. Manchester City was the last team to achieve this in 2018-19.

Arsenal’s stability in management, with Arteta remaining in charge, contrasts with several of their rivals who have new managers this summer, including Maresca at City. Opta, sports data analysts, have positioned Arsenal as favourites for the Premier League title, giving them a 38% chance of lifting the trophy. If they succeed, it would be Arsenal’s first successful top-flight title defence since the 1934-35 season.

Nevin suggested that Arsenal are favourites for the Premier League, acknowledging that Liverpool and Manchester City should not be written off. He emphasized Arsenal’s consistent build-up over several years. Arsenal will begin their Premier League title defence at home to Coventry on Friday, while Manchester City will host Bournemouth next Sunday.

Arteta expressed his desire to experience winning the league again, acknowledging the difficulty of the task and the special effort required.

Source: bbc.co.uk