Sunday 6th August 2023

Kick off 16:00pm 

Wembley Stadium

ITV

The Community Shield returns to Wembley Stadium after Leicester City hosted last season’s ‘curtain raiser’, with Arsenal going up against Manchester City, who are looking to acquire yet another accolade after winning the treble in 2022/23.

With City finishing five points clear of Arsenal to win the Premier League title last season, the gap between the two sides has reduced notably, but the Gunners were outclassed by Pep Guardiola in both Premier League games, as well as losing 1-0 in an FA Cup fourth round tie.

A 4-1 defeat for the Gunners at the Etihad in April exemplified that even if Arsenal can push City all the way in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta still has plenty of work to do when his side come up against the Citizens on the pitch.

The partnership between Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne outfoxed Arsenal at the Etihad, with golden boot winner Haaland turning provider to set up two goals for the Belgian before scoring City’s fourth in injury time.

City may have lost key midfielder Ilkay Gundogan earlier this summer but have replaced the German with the addition of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, and their squad depth remains head and shoulders above most teams in Europe.

New Arsenal arrivals Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz all featured in Arsenal’s Emirates Cup win on Wednesday night. Eddie Nketiah starred for the Gunners and netted their equaliser moments before half time, before Arsenal won 5-4 on penalties.

Arsenal win the Emirates Cup 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes after Gabriel slots home the winning penalty. See you at Wembley on Sunday for the Community Shield Vs Manchester City as the 2023-24 Premier League season draws looms large pic.twitter.com/UUTxoAF4ma

— Layth (@laythy29) August 2, 2023

The Gunners will start the season with striker Gabriel Jesus sidelined with a knee issue, “related to the previous injury he had and the surgery” according to Mikel Arteta. Jesus, and former Manchester City teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko will both miss the Community Shield tie against their former club, with the Ukrainian out with a calf injury but close to returning.

Bukayo Saka is expected to return from illness to face Manchester City, as Arsenal aim to win their seventeenth Community Shield. The Gunners beat Liverpool on penalties in the 2020 edition after a 1-1 draw at Wembley, in a game that was behind closed doors.

Arsenal qualified for this year’s Community Shield by virtue of finishing second in the Premier League behind Manchester City, who won both the League and FA Cup. City have lost their last three Community Shields, 3-1 to Liverpool last summer as well as on penalties in 2019, and 1-0 to Leicester City in 2021.

If scores are level after ninety minutes the game will go straight to penalties, meaning that Arsenal’s shoot-out win on Wednesday was excellent practice for the Wembley occasion. Arsenal also lost 3-5 on penalties to Manchester United in New Jersey earlier in pre-season.