Enzo Maresca has been candid about his objectives for his inaugural campaign at the helm of Manchester City, stating that one of his primary goals is to "close the gap to Arsenal" after his side finished the previous season seven points behind the champions. The true test of how feasible that ambition is will come on Sunday when the two clubs meet in the Community Shield.
Historically, Arsenal have triumphed in all three of their Shield encounters with City, and this weekend's showdown at the Cardiff stadium is set to act as a preview of what could become a compelling new rivalry between Mikel Arteta and Maresca. The match also marks the final countdown to the start of the Premier League proper. Arsenal will kick off their league season against Coventry City five days later, while City will begin theirs two days after that against Bournemouth, with both fixtures televised live on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports' betting odds currently list Arsenal as the slight favourites to retain the title, sitting roughly four points ahead of Manchester City in the predictive model. Yet a fresh challenger has emerged, eager to disrupt Pep Guardiola's dominance and to rewrite the expected order. Neither manager is likely to treat this opening contest, which carries a trophy, as a friendly affair. "For me personally, it's a trophy," Maresca told reporters.
"When a piece of silverware is on the line you go out to win it, not to play a friendly. We want to give everything we have to secure that first piece of hardware for the season." He went on to praise Arsenal's recent consistency, noting, "Arsenal have shown over the last few years that they are always in the mix.
They are a fantastic side, well‑run and well‑coached by Mikel. Last season they won the Premier League, which proves their quality." Maresca then turned the focus back on his own club: "But we are City, and we want to close the gap. Pre‑season has been solid, now we need to compete, win matches and win titles.
I want to see a high spirit and the right mentality throughout the squad." When asked about the fitness of his star striker, Erling Haaland, Maresca responded, "He is okay. He had a small issue behind the heel but he is fine.
Everyone else is fit, although some players have only just returned from their summer break and arrived a couple of days ago." Across the pitch, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta offered his own perspective, describing Maresca as "just as good" as his predecessor Pep Guardiola and affirming that the Community Shield is a legitimate trophy that can set the tone for the season ahead. "The best version of Arsenal has to be on Sunday. That's the intention," Arteta said. "We want the best performance, the best start to the season by lifting the first trophy.
That's how we've prepared." Addressing the notion of facing City without Guardiola, Artetta added, "Now it's Enzo – who is as good as Pep, because I know him well. He will bring something different to the club." Arteta also confirmed that, apart from the injured Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, the Gunners have a clean bill of health. This includes players such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, who have not yet featured in pre‑season matches but are expected to be fit. "It's a trophy we can win because we earned it last year by taking the Premier League," Arteta continued.
"You can see how hungry the players are, which is a positive sign. I love the way the squad have returned – most of them earlier than expected, in great condition after all the testing. When I saw them together I thought: 'look at the squad we have and what we are building.' There's a lot of excitement." Sky Sports analyst Laura Hunter offered a tactical preview of City’s likely line‑up.
Their final pre‑season friendly on August 9 saw them beat Atletico Madrid 3‑1, and she expects a similar XI on Sunday. If left‑back Rayan Ait‑Nouri is fit, he should start, while speculation around Tijjani Reijnders suggests he is unlikely to feature. In central midfield, Maresca could choose between Nico González and Rico Lewis, with England prospects Nico O'Reilly and Elliot Anderson also in the mix once the league begins, despite missing pre‑season due to the World Cup.
Omar Marmoush, who netted a brace against Atletico with assists from Antoine Semenyo, is expected to operate in the middle as Haaland eases back into full match fitness. Phil Foden’s return will also be monitored, with the possibility of him reclaiming the No 10 shirt. Another Sky Sports contributor, Sam Blitz, noted that Arsenal’s midfield trio of Rice, Saka and Zubimendi are available, but most of the Gunners only logged 30‑minute cameo appearances in the friendlies. Consequently, they may begin the Shield on the bench and be introduced in the latter stages of the game.
This opens a potential starting spot for Bruno Guimarães, who debuted against Como, giving Arteta a chance to see the Brazilian in a competitive environment. It could also see Myles Lewis‑Skelly start despite ongoing speculation about his future, while new signing Christos Tzolis may receive his first test on the left wing.
Max Dowman, having completed a full pre‑season, could be preferred over Noni Madueke. Arteta faces a left‑back dilemma between Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie, with the more defensive‑oriented Hincapie likely to get the nod.
Meanwhile, an energized Martin Ødegaard will aim to re‑establish his influence after a stop‑start campaign last term. In summary, the Community Shield promises to be more than a ceremonial curtain‑raiser; it is a genuine trophy that both managers view as a benchmark for their squads. Maresca’s determination to narrow the distance to Arsenal and Arteta’s resolve to start the season with silverware set the stage for a fiercely contested match that could foreshadow the narrative of the Premier League season to come.