Updated Aug. 16, 2026, 12:12 p.m. ET
Arsenal was better than Manchester City from start to finish in the Community Shield, scoring in the first minute and dominating the contest in a 3-0 victory. The reigning Premier League champions got a dream start against the FA Cup winners, with fullback Riccardo Calaflori taking a pass in the middle of the park from Myles Lewis-Skelly and scoring the fastest goal from kickoff in the history of the competition. The Gunners continued to dominate play even as the first half went on, and they doubled their advantage in the 28th minute. Martin Odegaard found Christos Tzolis at the back post, and the debuting Arsenal winger headed the ball across goal where Kai Havertz headed it down.
Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma could’ve gotten a hand on it, but the ball dribbled over the line as the Italian struggled to control. Despite changes at halftime, Arsenal stayed on the front foot, with Odegaard putting a perfect touch on a low Tzolis cross to get past his defender and end up one-on-one with Donnarumma in the 48th minute. Odegaard finished confidently, and Arsenal was able to celebrate a victory.
The rest of the match saw both managers bring in players who may contribute to the Premier League campaign, which kicks off next weekend for both teams. Arsenal will look to keep the momentum gathered in a Friday, Aug. 21, fixture against Coventry City. Man City manager Enzo Maresca, who replaces Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard spent a decade at the club, hopes to pick up a debut victory in an Aug. 23 contest with Bournemouth.
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FT: Arsenal 3-0 Manchester City What a start for Arsenal. It’ll be important to keep things in context: Manchester City is still working players in after the World Cup and has a new manager. But Arsenal, too, brought players off the bench who were at the World Cup, including superstars like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
It’s a great start for the Gunners. 90′ City still looking for a consolation Antoine Semenyo has played the match and is still trying to get into the area and find that goal that would give City something to celebrate, however small. But his link with Cherki is cut off by the Arsenal back line,
82′ Save!
City challenges Raya again Cherki dribbles past his man and into the box where he’s able to set up Antoine Semenyo for a good shot on goal, but the Arsenal goalkeeper, who has been excellent today, gets down to make the save. 80′ Shot!
Saka puts it high Arsenal built from the left side, and Hincapie is able to work a cross in for Saka. He has a good look at goal but puts his shot over the crossbar. It stays 3-0 Arsenal. 75′ Arsenal freshens things up That’s Havertz’s last big contribution as he and Myles Lewis-Skelly are replaced. Viktor Gyökeres goes up top, while Martin Zubimendi slides into the middle.
72′ Havertz leads another Arsenal break Man City is able to clear the danger once again, but it’s Havertz with a header that starts things off. Arsenal find playing on the counter-attack right now with City looking to attack through the wings, having no luck through the middle at the moment. 63′ Saka has a go A near-immediate impact from Arsenal’s impact sub, with Odegard letting the ball roll and Havertz moving it to Saka out wide. He sends his shot into the side-netting, rather than making it 4-0.
Arsenal, Man City make changes at the hour mark Arsenal fans keep the cheers up as Bukayo Saka enters the match. Another usual starter who was at World Cup also enters with Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie coming in for Riccardo Calafiori. City brings in creative Frenchman Rayan Cherki for Phil Foden and Rico Lewis replaces Elliot Anderson.
56′ Olés in Wales Arsenal fans are having a great day in Cardiff, now chating “olé” with each Arsenal completed pass as the Gunners ping the ball around midfield. Man City gets more modifications ready. 53′ More changes for City as Haaland substituted out It’s a chance for Omar Marmoush in attack and Marc Guéhi at the back – he’ll go into the middle with Gvardiol going wide for Nico O’Reilly, who is replaced – as is Erling Haaland. His day is done, with just two shots – one on target and one off.
52′ How will Man City respond? The question now is more about what City is able to do as the Premier League kicks off next week to respond to this type of defeat. While Enzo Maresca will want to keep this in context, he also will hope to see some response from his team in the last 40 minutes of this game.
It’s a yellow for Gvardiol for cutting down a counter instead. 48′ GOAL! Arsenal go ahead 3-0 in the Community Shield The second half starts a lot like the first for Arsenal.
Christos Tzolis is having a tremendous day, this time finding Martin Odegaard steaming down the center channel. The Norway international takes a touch around the defender, then calmly finishes past Donnarumma to extend the lead to 3-0. Declan Rice enters for Arsenal at halftime Rice has been away from Arsenal, playing a key role in England’s World Cup campaign but now takes the pitch for the second 45 minutes as well. Bruno Guimarães makes way. Jack Grealish entering for City at the break The shifty attacker is back in sky blue after spending last season with Everton, and he is into the game at the halftime break, wearing the No.
18 shirt. Jérémy Doku will take a seat. HT: Arsenal 2-0 Manchester City We go to the break in Cardiff with the Gunners having a two-goal lead and having convinced in the first half. Calafiori got things going right out of the gate with the fastest-ever goal from the opening-whistle in the history Community Shield and Kai Havertz added the other. How will Enzo Maresca respond in one of his first challenges as Man City manager? 45+1′ City clear it off the line! After Donnarumma cuts out a low cross but leaves the rebound, i’s a goal-line scramble.
It ends with Odegaard hitting the ball before a City player, but Gvardiol is able to boot it clear before it become Arsenal’s third goal. 43′ Calafiori again pops up at the back post While City are seeing more chances, that also allows Arsenal to hit back, and once again it’s a ball from the right side of the Gunners’ attack heading to the back post that gives some trouble. The Italian can’t finish, but a warning shot from Arsenal that they could take an even bigger lead into the break than 2-0. 39′ Raya SAVES, but City start to push Duku’s fantastic first touch in the box allows him to square for Haaland, who puts a shot right on target this time but sees it saved by the Arsenal goalkeeper. Shortly after, it’s Ben White making a big block in the box.
City starting to find that identity, looking for a goal down two. It’d be huge to get one before the half. 38′ A yellow for simulation Arsenal fullback Riccardo Calafiori scored the first goal but was less impressive on this occasion. With the ball coming in the box, he looked to run onto it and then went to the ground, but it was a clear dive with the City defender pulling out of the challenge and not making contact. That earns a yellow from referee Samuel Barrott. 36′ Haaland has a shot … but it’s off the mark These are the moments that City rely on to create their scoring chances with Doku playing a diagonal ball for Haaland, but the forward isn’t able to put his shot on goal.
GOAL! Havertz doubles Arsenal’s lead! Arsenal makes possession in its final third pay off as Noni Madueke plays the ball short to Odegard, who crosses for Christos Tzolis at the back post. The Greek attacker headed the ball across goal where Kai Havertz was lurking to finish off the goal past a flummoxed Donnarumma. Arsenal leads 2-0. 24′ Foden sees yellow After that corner, Arsenal hoped to surge forward on the counter-attack, but Foden dragged a player down in the opposite area to prevent it. The Man City attacker goes into the referee’s book as the first recipient of a card today.
23′ Gabriel wins a battle with Doku Jeremy Doku got past Arsenal right back Ben White, but center back Gabriel was over quickly and ushered the ball out for a corner kick that Raya claims. 20′ Foden brings Raya into action It’s still 1-0 Arsenal, but Phil Foden’s shot from range caused Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to work for the first time today. After his save, City kept the ball in play and woked it for Haaland, but his effort goes out for a goal kick. 18′ City finding the ball and slowing things down Now, Man City is getting some of that relief it needed, having defended the corner kicks successfully. City still hasn’t been able to get Haaland touches in the final third, but this is progess for Maresca’s side.
12′ Corner kick coming for Arsenal After the early goal and other waves forward from Arsenal, City was trying to control poessession, but you also don’t want to give this Arsenal team set pieces and they’ve done that now after Noni Madueke tried to shift into the box and had the ball cleared. 6′ Another chance for Arsenal Arsenal overloaded the right side and then got the ball over to the left, setting up Christos Tzolis for an opportunity, but it doesn’t bother City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. GOAL! Arsenal score less than 25 seconds in! The Gunners are in the lead. It’s Riccardo Calafiori, getting on the end of a pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly and finishing beautifully. It’s the fastest recorded goal in the history of the competition.
We’re underway in the Community Shield! Arsenal is attacking left to right in their traditional red shirts, while City is in their Sky Blue. What time is Arsenal vs Man City? Kickoff for Sunday’s FA Community Shield is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET. The players are on the field for the Community Shield We’ll hear “God Save the King” first in Wales, then this match will begin! Is Erling Haaland playing for Man City in the Community Shield?
While Rodri is out, there are few doubts about the Norway star’s future after his stand-out World Cup. Haaland is in the starting lineup for the Community Shield match and will look to pick up where he left off earlier this summer. Which Manchester City players left out of the Community Shield squad may be making transfer moves? The most notable absence in the Man City squad is Rodri, the winner of the Golden Ball at the World Cup.
The Spain star had been linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, but La Liga rival Barcelona stepped in and reportedly is close to announcing they have signed the 30-year-old. Brazilian attacker Savinho, a Tottenham Hotspur target, also will not be involved for City today. What’s at stake in the Community Shield? After a near-perfect season, reigning Premier League champion Arsenal will hope to start strong against Man City, even in a pre-season contest with players still getting back into rhythm after the summer.
For City, Enzo Marseca would love a fast start to life as being ‘the guy after the guy’, as the Italian replaces legendary manager Pep Guardiola. Manchester City starting XI vs. Arsenal Arsenal starting XI vs. Manchester City Will Saka play today? Arsenal team news Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi are available for Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City after returning to training following extended breaks after the World Cup, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.
The trio have linked up with the squad and could feature despite missing the pre-season programme. “They will be available; they trained with us (Friday), they will train (Saturday), and if they are in the condition we expect them to be in, they will be involved,” Arteta told reporters. – Reuters
Why isn’t Community Shield at Wembley? 2026 location This year’s FA Community Shield is being held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The match has traditionally been held at Wembley Stadium in London, but the 2026 showdown was moved to Cardiff to accommodate The Weeknd’s tour dates at Wembley. The 2022 Community Shield was played at the King Power Stadium in Leicester with Wembley hosting the UEFA Women’s Euro final a day later, while the 2012 game was moved to Villa Park in Birmingham amid the London Olympics.
Arsenal vs Manchester City recent meetings April 19, 2026 (Premier League): Manchester City 2–1 Arsenal March 22, 2026 (Carabao Cup Final): Manchester City 2–0 Arsenal Sept. 21, 2025 (Premier League): Arsenal 1–1 Manchester City Feb. 2, 2025 (Premier League): Arsenal 5–1 Manchester City Sept. 22, 2024 (Premier League): Manchester City 2–2 Arsenal March 31, 2024 (Premier League): Manchester City 0–0 Arsenal Oct. 8, 2023 (Premier League): Arsenal 1–0 Manchester City Aug. 5, 2023 (FA Community Shield): Arsenal 1–1 Manchester City (Arsenal won 4–1 on penalties) April 26, 2023 (Premier League): Manchester City 4–1 Arsenal Feb.
15, 2023 (Premier League): Arsenal 1–3 Manchester City Jan. 27, 2023 (FA Cup fourth round): Manchester City 1–0 Arsenal Jan. 1, 2022 (Premier League): Arsenal 1–2 Manchester City FA Community Shield winners list 2025: Crystal Palace (def. Liverpool) 2024: Manchester City (def. Manchester United) 2023: Arsenal (def.
Manchester City) 2022: Liverpool (def. Manchester City) 2021: Leicester City (def.
Manchester City) 2020: Arsenal (def. Liverpool) 2019: Manchester City (def. Liverpool) 2018: Manchester City (def. Chelsea) 2017: Arsenal (def.
Chelsea) 2016: Manchester United (def. Leicester City) 2015: Arsenal (def. Chelsea) 2014: Arsenal (def. Manchester City) 2013: Manchester United (def. Wigan Athletic) 2012: Manchester City (def.
Chelsea) 2011: Manchester United (def. Manchester City) 2010: Manchester United (def. Chelsea) 2009: Chelsea (def. Manchester United) 2008: Manchester United (def.
Portsmouth) 2007: Manchester United (def. Chelsea) 2006: Liverpool (def. Chelsea) Elliot Anderson transfer fee Manchester City’s new signing Elliot Anderson said he is determined to justify his hefty transfer fee and hopes to make an immediate impact. The 23-year-old joined City from Nottingham Forest in July in a deal British media reported could rise to 116 million pounds ($156.66 million), making him the second-most expensive British player.
“I’m over the moon,” Anderson told reporters on Wednesday after his first training session under new manager Enzo Maresca. “The lads have welcomed me really well and training went well.”
– Reuters
