ARSENAL POWERED TO a 3-0 win against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, delivering a swaggering statement of intent ahead of their Premier League title defence.<\/p>\n
Mikel Arteta\u2019s side used the annual curtain-raiser to the English top-flight season as an opportunity to prove their long-awaited title triumph has done nothing to sate their appetite for success.<\/p>\n
The Gunners took just 24 seconds to show new City boss Enzo Maresca the standard required to keep up with the champions.<\/p>\n
Riccardo Calafiori\u2019s quick-fire opening goal was followed by a clinical Kai Havertz header before half-time.<\/p>\n
Arsenal overwhelmed sloppy City with their trademark intensity and Martin Odegaard netted after the interval to cap a resounding victory.<\/p>\n
The glamour friendly at Cardiff\u2019s Principality Stadium also allowed Arteta to parade Arsenal\u2019s close-season recruits.<\/p>\n
Bruno Guimaraes, signed from Newcastle for \u00a375 million (\u20ac87.77 million), slotted into midfield with ease, while Christos Tzolis, lured from Club Brugge for \u00a334 million (\u20ac39.79 million), gave a lively display including two assists.<\/p>\n
The north Londoners will start a campaign as champions for the first time since the 2004-05 season.<\/p>\n
Already installed as favourites to win their first successive English titles since the 1930s, Arsenal look primed for a sustained spell as the Premier League\u2019s preeminent force.<\/p>\n
Their vibrant performance was the perfect warm-up before promoted Coventry visit the Emirates Stadium for the opening game of the Premier League season on 21 August.<\/p>\n
It was a dispiriting wake-up call for Maresca, who will have noted how much more dynamic and cohesive Arsenal looked compared to his spluttering team.<\/p>\n
Pep Guardiola won 20 trophies in a glorious decade in Manchester, including the FA Cup and League Cup in his farewell season, but City haven\u2019t won the title since 2024 and finished seven points behind Arsenal in second place last term.<\/p>\n
Hand-picked to succeed Guardiola after quitting Chelsea in January following a turbulent reign lasting less than two seasons, Maresca now knows it will take a huge effort to close the gap on Arsenal, starting with City\u2019s opener at home to Bournemouth on 23 August.\u00a0<\/p>\n
– Rampant Arsenal –<\/strong><\/p>\n Arteta believes his players are still \u201chungry\u201d for trophies, with their painful Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in May motivation for this season.<\/p>\n Riccardo Calafiori gives Arsenal the lead after just 24 seconds \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n The assist from Myles Lewis-Skelly \ud83d\udc4f<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa Watch live on TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com\/aU0UsCB1Xs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Gunners took less than a minute to underline Arteta\u2019s point with a beautifully crafted opener.<\/p>\n Myles Lewis-Skelly featured in Arsenal\u2019s midfield despite being linked to Chelsea and Manchester United, and the teenager showed why he is in demand with a deft pass that split the City defence.<\/p>\n Calafiori surged onto Lewis-Skelly\u2019s ball, evading City\u2019s woeful marking to slot a composed finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma from 12 yards.<\/p>\n The left-back\u2019s goal was the quickest in the Community Shield since 1968, and rampant Arsenal struck again in the 27th minute.<\/p>\n Martin Odegaard was gifted space to float a cross to the far post and Tzolis, left unmarked by Abdukodir Khusanov, headed it back into the six-yard box, where Havertz climbed above R\u00faben Dias to nod home.<\/p>\n Kai Havertz finishes off a well-worked move to double Arsenal’s lead \ud83e\udd29<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa Watch live on TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com\/tGkxCIBV8F<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In his first showpiece occasion for City after his \u00a3116 million (\u20ac135.75 million) move from Nottingham Forest, England midfielder Elliot Anderson struggled to exert any influence.<\/p>\n City talisman Erling Haaland was largely anonymous, wasting two good chances in the first half.<\/p>\n Take a bow, Martin \u00d8degaard \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8<\/p>\n Arsenal are flying against Man City!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa Watch live on TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com\/cMHbIyJ90D<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Arsenal captain Odegaard showed his Norway teammate how to do it three minutes after half-time.<\/p>\n Tzolis rolled a pass into Odegaard\u2019s path, and he slalomed through the City defence before leaving Donnarumma embarrassed with a clever dummy and close-range finish.<\/p>\n Only City, in 2019, have gone on to become Premier League champions among the previous 15 winners of the Community Shield.<\/p>\n On the evidence of their stroll in the Cardiff sunshine, Arsenal\u2019s 18th Community Shield victory won\u2019t be the last silverware lifted by Odegaard this season.<\/p>\n \u2013 \u00a9 AFP 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won\u2019t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women\u2019s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n
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