Enzo Maresma has made it clear that one of his primary goals in his inaugural campaign as Manchester City’s head coach is to narrow the distance between his side and Arsenal, after his team fell short by seven points in the title race last season. The first real test of how attainable that objective is will come in the form of the Community Shield match scheduled for Sunday.
Historically, Arsenal have triumphed in all three of their Shield encounters with City, and the upcoming showdown at the Cardiff stadium promises to be more than just a curtain‑raiser – it could signal the beginning of a fresh and compelling rivalry between Mikel Arteta and Maresma. The fixture also marks the final countdown to the start of the Premier League proper, with the Gunners set to kick off their league campaign against Coventry City five days later, while City will begin theirs two days after that against Bournemouth, both games to be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Sky Sports’ predictive model currently lists Arsenal as the slight favourites to retain the crown, sitting about four points ahead of Manchester City in the projected table. Yet a renewed sense of hunger is evident from a new challenger eager to upset Pep Guardiola’s dominance and rewrite the odds.
Neither manager is likely to treat this early‑season clash, with a trophy on the line, as a friendly encounter. "For me personally, it’s a trophy," Maresma said when asked about the significance of the match. "When a cup is at stake you go out to win it – there’s no such thing as a friendly in a final.
We want to give everything we have to secure that first piece of silverware. "Arsenal have shown over the last few years that they are consistently strong. They are a fantastic side, well‑run and well‑coached by Mikel, and they proved it by winning the league last season. "But we are City.
We want to close the gap. "Pre‑season has been good. Now we need to compete, win games, win titles. I want to see high spirit and the right mentality." When pressed about the fitness of his star striker Erling Haaland, Maresma replied: "He’s fine.
He had a small issue behind his heel but he’s okay. Everyone is fit, although some players have just returned from their summer break a couple of days ago." Meanwhile, Arteta praised Maresma, stating that the new City boss is "just as good" as his predecessor Guardiola, and he also acknowledged the Community Shield as 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 explained. "We want to start the season with the best performance possible and lift the first trophy.
That’s how we have prepared." On the subject of facing a City side without Guardiola at the helm, Artetta added: "Now it’s Enzo – who is as good as [Guardiola], because I know him well. He will bring something different to the club." Arteta also confirmed that, aside from the injured Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, Arsenal enjoy a clean bill of health. This includes the availability of 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 season by clinching the Premier League," Arteta said.
"You can see how hungry the players are, which is a great sign. I love the way the squad has returned – most of them earlier than expected, fully fit, and we’ve completed all the medical checks. They all look in excellent condition. "When they started to look at each other, 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, noting that City’s last pre‑season friendly on August 9 ended in a 3‑1 victory over Atletico Madrid.
She expects a similar lineup for Sunday, with Rayan Ait‑Nouri likely to start at left‑back if his fitness permits. The speculation surrounding Tijjani Reijnders suggests he may miss the Shield and perhaps even his future at City. In midfield, Maresma has the choice between Nico González and Rico Lewis. England prospects Nico O’Reilly and Elliot Anderson could also be in contention once the league begins, though both missed pre‑season due to the World Cup.
Omar Marmoush, who netted twice against Atletico with assists from Antoine Semenyo, is expected to feature centrally 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, highlighted that Arteta confirmed the availability of Rice, Saka and Zubimendi, but most Arsenal players only received 30‑minute cameo appearances in the pre‑season friendlies.
Consequently, Blitz predicts these three stars will likely begin on the bench and be introduced in the latter stages of the Shield. This opens a slot for Bruno Guimarães, who debuted against Como, to start in midfield in Cardiff, offering a first real look at the Brazilian’s role in Arteta’s system. It could also see Myles Lewis‑Skelly start despite ongoing speculation about his future, as Arteta has not confirmed whether the teenager will remain beyond the summer.
A further summer signing, Christos Tzolis, is expected to earn a run on the left wing, providing a practical test of his abilities at a competitive level. Meanwhile, Max Dowman’s full pre‑season preparation could see him start over Noni Madueke.
Arteta faces a left‑back dilemma between Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié; the more defensively minded Hincapié may get the nod. Additionally, a revitalised Martin Ødegaard could look to re‑establish his influence after a stop‑start campaign last term. Overall, the Community Shield promises to be more than a ceremonial curtain‑raiser.
It offers both managers a platform to showcase their squads, test tactical ideas, and set a psychological benchmark for the months ahead. For Maresma, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that City can close the gap with Arsenal and challenge for the Premier League title. For Arteta, it is a chance to prove that his side can retain the momentum that delivered them the league crown and start the new campaign with confidence and silverware. The match will also provide fans with an early glimpse of how new signings integrate, how returning stars regain form, and whether the managerial duel between Arteta and Maresma will become one of the defining storylines of the season.