Enzo Maresca has openly admitted that one of his primary goals in his inaugural campaign as the manager of Manchester City is to narrow the distance between his side and Arsenal, after City fell short by seven points in the title race last season. He sees the upcoming Community Shield as an early litmus test for how realistic that objective might be.
Historically, Arsenal have triumphed in all three of their previous Shield encounters with City, and the clash in Cardiff this Sunday promises to be the first chapter in what could become a compelling new rivalry between Mikel Arteta and Maresca. The match also serves as the final countdown to the start of the Premier League proper. Arsenal will kick off their season against Coventry City five days after the Shield, while City will face Bournemouth two days later, with both games slated for live broadcast on Sky Sports.
According to Sky Sports' own prediction model, the Gunners enter the campaign as the slight favourites to retain the crown, sitting about four points ahead of the defending champions in the projected table. Yet a fresh wave of ambition is bubbling at the Etihad, with Maresca eager to challenge Pep Guardiola’s long‑standing dominance and upset those odds. Maresca was blunt when asked about his attitude toward the trophy.
"For me personally, it's a trophy," he said. "When a final 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 silverware." He praised Arsenal’s recent consistency, noting that they have been a well‑run, well‑coached side under Arteta and were the league champions last season. "But we are City, and we want to close the gap," he added, emphasizing that pre‑season preparations have been solid and that the squad now needs to translate that work into competitive victories and titles. He called for high spirits and the right mentality as the season approaches.
When pressed about the fitness of his star striker, Erling Haaland, Maresca reassured fans that the Norwegian is fine, explaining that Haaland suffered a minor issue behind his heel but is otherwise ready. He also mentioned that most of the squad is fit, though several players have only just returned from their summer break, arriving a couple of days before the Shield.
Arteta, for his part, weighed in on Maresca’s credentials, stating that the new City boss is "just as good" as his predecessor Guardiola. He also affirmed that the Community Shield is a legitimate trophy that can set the tone for the season.
"The best version of Arsenal has to be on Sunday. That’s the intention – the best performance, the best way to start the season by lifting the first trophy," Arteta said.
He praised his own squad’s health, noting that apart from the injured Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, the team is largely unscathed. He highlighted the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, even though the latter two have yet to feature in pre‑season matches.
Arteta added, "It’s a trophy we can win because we earned it last year by winning the Premier League. You can see how hungry the players are, which is a good sign. I love the way the players have come back, most of them earlier than expected. They’re fit, we’ve done all the testing, and they all seem in great condition.
When they started looking at each other, I thought: ‘look at the squad we have and what we’re building.’ There’s a lot of excitement." Sky Sports analysts offered their own previews. Laura Hunter noted that City’s last pre‑season friendly was a 3‑1 victory over Atletico Madrid on August 9, and she expects a similar lineup for the Shield. She suggested that if left‑back Rayan Ait‑Nouri is fully recovered, he should start, while Tijjani Reijnders is unlikely to feature. In midfield, Maresca could choose between Nico González and Rico Lewis, with England prospects Nico O'Reilly and Elliot Anderson likely to compete for those spots once the league begins, despite missing pre‑season due to the World Cup.
Hunter also highlighted Omar Marmoush, who scored twice in the Atletico win, as a probable central option as Haaland eases back into full action. Phil Foden’s return is also on the agenda after a summer of international duty, and the Dutch playmaker could aim to make the No.
10 shirt his own. Sam Blitz offered a complementary view, confirming that Arsenal’s midfield trio of Rice, Saka and Zubimendi are available, though most of the Gunners’ players only logged about 30 minutes in their pre‑season outings.
Blitz predicts they may start on the bench and be introduced in the final half‑hour. This opens a potential spot for Bruno Guimarães, who debuted against Como, to feature in Cardiff, giving Arteta a chance to assess the Brazilian in a competitive environment. Myles Lewis‑Skelly could also start despite ongoing speculation about his future, while Christos Tzolis is expected to earn a run on the left wing, providing a first real test of his abilities.
Max Dowman’s full pre‑season preparation could see him preferred over Noni Madueke. Arteta faces a left‑back dilemma between Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié; the more defensive Hincapié may get the nod. Meanwhile, a revitalised Martin Ødegaard could finally cement his role after a stop‑start campaign last term.
Both managers will likely treat the Shield as a serious contest rather than a warm‑up, with silverware and pride at stake. In summary, the Community Shield offers a preview of the tactical battles and player selections that will shape the Premier League season.
Maresma’s ambition to close the gap with Arsenal, combined with Arteta’s desire to start the campaign with a trophy, sets the stage for an intense showdown. Fans can expect a hard‑fought match in Cardiff, with both sides eager to prove they belong among England’s elite and to signal their intentions for the months ahead.