Arsenal and Manchester City have an opportunity
to lay down a marker ahead of the new season in
Sunday’s FA Community Shield.
City are back at the traditional Wembley curtain-
raiser after winning the Premier League title, while
for Arsenal it is their first appearance in this fixture
since 2005 following their FA Cup success in May.
The World Cup has taken centre stage during the
summer but there have been plenty of
developments on the domestic front to set the
scene for what promises to be another thrilling
campaign, with managerial changes and a host of
summer signings.
Arsenal have been unusually busy in the transfer
market and, fresh from ending their nine-year wait
for silverware, will be confident of kicking on this
term and achieving even more.
They finished fourth in the league in 2013/14, seven
points adrift of champions City, but the most
disappointing aspect of their season was perhaps
how poorly they fared against the other top teams,
and that is something they will be determined to
address.
A 6-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium provided great
entertainment but some painful memories for
Arsenal, who also lost heavily at Liverpool and
Chelsea.
Arsene Wenger is convinced that Arsenal are
becoming more competitive, though, and has taken
steps to narrow the gap further by spending heavily
on Alexis Sanchez, Mathieu Debuchy, Calum
Chambers and David Ospina.
Sanchez and Debuchy are likely to feature against
City and Chambers is also available, but goalkeeper
Ospina has a thigh injury.
Yaya Sanogo scored four goals in the friendly
victory over Benfica last week and may be given
the nod up front as Olivier Giroud continues to
build fitness.
German World Cup winners Mesut Ozil, Per
Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski will not feature.
City have also brought in some fresh faces in a bid
to build on last season’s achievements, signing
Fernando, Willy Caballero and, on loan, Frank
Lampard.
Bacary Sagna has also been recruited following the
end of his Arsenal contract and will link up with
former Gunners team-mates Samir Nasri and Gael
Clichy.
A long run in the UEFA Champions League will be a
target for City despite being punished for breaching
financial fair play rules, but the main aim will be to
defend their Premier League crown.
City came out just two points ahead of Liverpool in
a dramatic title race last season, as Manuel
Pellegrini enjoyed a magnificent first year in charge
of the club.
Pellegrini will be without Alvaro Negredo against
Arsenal after the striker sustained a serious foot
injury in pre-season which is expected to keep him
out for a few months.
Lampard is deemed not ready to feature yet
following his arrival on loan, and the same applies
to fellow new signing Sagna, along with Sergio
Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis,
Fernandinho and skipper Vincent Kompany - six
City players who were involved in the knockout
stages of the World Cup.
However, there could be debuts for two new
recruits in goalkeeper Caballero and midfielder
Fernando.
City will hope to show on Sunday that they remain
the team to beat, in a clash which will be refereed
by Michael Oliver and will feature the vanishing
spray which was used at the World Cup.
