Arsenal and Manchester City meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff for the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser for the new season. The match, scheduled for a 3pm kick-off on Sunday, 16 August, will see Arsenal, who ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, face the side that pushed them closest in the title race. City will be under new management, with Enzo Maresca having replaced Pep Guardiola in the dugout.
Team News and Key Absences
Manchester City will be without midfielder Rodri, who underwent minor back surgery immediately after the World Cup and was absent from training on Thursday. The World Cup winner has also been the subject of a £55 million offer from Barcelona, but his absence today is due to his recovery. Tijani Reijnders is another likely absentee, with the Dutchman in talks to join Saudi side Al Qadsiah.
Erling Haaland did not feature in City's final pre-season game against Atletico Madrid and was not involved in part of Thursday's open training session. However, Maresca eased any fitness concerns, confirming that the striker will be available for selection. Whether he starts remains uncertain, as he has had no pre-season game time after helping Norway reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Omar Marmoush, who scored twice in the 3-1 win over Atletico, could keep his place in the starting XI.
Arsenal's New Recruits and Injury Concerns
Arsenal fans will be eager to see new signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, who are both hoping to start. Guimaraes, the former Newcastle United captain, made his debut midweek against Como, while Tzolis has impressed during pre-season. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Zubimendi have returned to the squad after extended breaks but have not played a minute of pre-season football, only resuming training this week. Mikel Arteta has confirmed the trio are available, but he may opt to give Rice and Saka extra rest ahead of the Premier League opener against Coventry City next week.
Arsenal have defensive concerns, with William Saliba facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a back problem. Jurrien Timber is back in training but is still weeks away from returning to action.
How to Watch
The Community Shield kicks off at 3pm and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming also available through the HBO Max app. Metro will also provide a live matchday blog for fans to follow all the action.
