Arsenal vs Man City LIVE: Community Shield result, final score and reaction as Gunners win on penalties
Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola meet once more at Wembley
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
The Community Shield is always a game for the calendar - the official opening of elite action in England’s men’s game. This time around it’s treble-winners Manchester City and last season’s Premier League runners-up Arsenal who meet at Wembley, fighting for the first prize of the new campaign.
Mikel Arteta has added the likes of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to his squad this summer, while Mateo Kovacic has traded Chelsea for Man City as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.
While not usually a match which foretells the fortunes of the season ahead, it’s still an intriguing opportunity to see where these respective squads are ahead of the opening game of the 2023/24 league next term. Follow live updates from the Community Shield at Wembley below:
Aaron Ramsdale makes his case to remain first choice - as Arsenal make their own one for major trophies
Perhaps David Raya would have saved it. It was a tame penalty, after all. But Aaron Ramsdale did save it, diving to his right, blocking Julian Alvarez’s lacklustre effort, punching the air, just as he had when Kevin de Bruyne thumped the underside of the bar with his spot kick.
Whichever, it amounted to a response from Ramsdale. A seeming success story of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the goalkeeper signed from relegated Sheffield United, who signed him from relegated Bournemouth, who seemed the spirit animal of a young, hungry side who went on to top the table for 248 days. And who, then, suddenly, brutally, seemed undermined when it emerged Arsenal were bidding for Brentford’s Raya.
But Ramsdale brings character. The sense is that he will not surrender his position without a fight, even if the Gunners do land Raya or another potential No.1. A Community Shield triumph and a third trophy of Arteta’s reign came courtesy of two of his saves. The first, stopping Phil Foden from doubling Manchester City’s lead, had a hint of fortune, the ball striking the inside of his leg and then rolling past the post.
Match report by Rich Jolly:
Ramsdale makes case to remain first choice as Arsenal make theirs for the season
Arsenal 1-1 Man City (4-1 on pens): The Gunners have been linked with signing David Raya as competition for the English goalkeeper
Arsenal ‘obviously paid way too much’ for Declan Rice, says Roy Keane
Roy Keane has told Arsenal they paid too much for England midfielder Declan Rice when they handed West Ham £105million for his services.
Keane, who worked with Rice as Martin O’Neill’s assistant when the player won his three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, rates him highly, but is not convinced he is worth his price tag.
Asked about the midfielder’s prospects in north London ahead of the Gunners’ Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Sunday in which he made his competitive debut, Keane told ITV1: “He is obviously going to be surrounded by better players, different demands.
“If he is going to play a little higher up the pitch, I think he definitely has that quality in terms of adding more goals. He’s obviously got that physical strength, he can get in the box.
“They have obviously paid way too much for him. He’s certainly not worth over £100 million, Declan Rice, but a really good player.”
More here:
Arsenal ‘obviously paid way too much’ for Declan Rice, says Roy Keane
The two men worked together with the Republic of Ireland.
Mikel Arteta benefits from new law changes as Arsenal clinch Community Shield
Mikel Arteta was the first victim and the first beneficiary of the new law changes after Arsenal won the Community Shield 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw against Manchester City.
Gunners boss Arteta was booked in the first half by referee Stuart Attwell for protesting a decision, part of the new clampdown on the touchline behaviour of managers.
But the fiery Spaniard was celebrating after the new law on timewasting and keeping the ball in play – meaning extended periods of stoppage time – allowed his side to equalise with 101 minutes on the clock.
More here:
Mikel Arteta benefits from new law changes as Arsenal clinch Community Shield
Arteta was booked in the first half by referee Stuart Attwell for protesting a decision, part of the new clampdown on touchline behaviour.
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
Man City weren’t at top speed for most of the game but did seem to surge away from Arsenal in the 20 minutes they turned up the heat.
Cole Palmer scored a brilliant opener and he’ll really be hoping that he can get a regular spot in the squad and start more games - will Pep Guardiola sign a replacement for Riyad Mahrez though? Today was certainly a good case made by the youngster, who was named man of the match.
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
It’s over a decade since Arsenal have gone more than three years without winning the Community Shield now after triumphs in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2023.
For all Man City’s domestic dominance, they have only won it twice since 2012: ‘18 and ‘19.
Not that this trophy tends to mean much in the long run of the entire campaign, of course, especially on the back of City losing a year ago before winning...everything, when it mattered.
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
Quick stat attack after that game:
Arsenal have won the Community Shield for the 17th time, the second-most of any club after Manchester United (21).
City, meanwhile, have lost for the third time running in three successive years - the second time a team has done that after Man United did it four times, 1998 to 2001.
Ramsdale makes case to stay No.1 as Arsenal make theirs for the season
Perhaps David Raya would have saved it. It was a tame penalty, after all. But Aaron Ramsdale did save it, diving to his right, blocking Julian Alvarez’s lacklustre effort, punching the air, just as he had when Kevin de Bruyne thumped the underside of the bar with his spot kick.
Whichever, it amounted to a response from Ramsdale. A seeming success story of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the goalkeeper signed from relegated Sheffield United, who signed him from relegated Bournemouth, who seemed the spirit animal of a young, hungry side who went on to top the table for 248 days. And who, then, suddenly, brutally, seemed undermined when it emerged Arsenal were bidding for Brentford’s Raya.
But Ramsdale brings character. The sense is that he will not surrender his position without a fight, even if the Gunners do land Raya or another potential No.1. A Community Shield triumph and a third trophy of Arteta’s reign came courtesy of two of his saves. The first, stopping Phil Foden from doubling Manchester City’s lead, had a hint of fortune, the ball striking the inside of his leg and then rolling past the post.
Fortune may have favoured Arsenal again with the goal that secured a shootout. The 101st-minute strike may become a more frequent phenomenon as the amount of added time mushrooms this season. Two months earlier, City won the Champions League in part because of a save deep into added time; when another trophy beckoned and still later, Stefan Ortega was wrongfooted when Leandro Trossard’s shot took a huge deflection off Manuel Akanji.
Match report from Wembley:
Ramsdale makes case to remain first choice as Arsenal make theirs for the season
Arsenal 1-1 Man City (4-1 on pens): The Gunners have been linked with signing David Raya as competition for the English goalkeeper
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
Cole Palmer was almost the match-winner, before Arsenal scored late on then won on penalties.
“Very close. Gutted to concede in the last minutes,” he said to ITV.
“We have to pick ourselves up and go again. When I got the ball Pep told me to be myself. I cut in and saw the far corner. Thankfully it went in.
“We’ll have to see what the plan is for next season. Hopefully play as many games as possible. I feel fresh from England, the [Euro U21s] final wasn’t that long ago.
“Hopefully we can win the Treble again but it will be a difficult ask. The lads are sharp in training.”
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
“We worked hard on it. We’ve been working hard for two years. We haven’t had luck which was probably needed in previous seasons. We’ve stuck at it. It’s worked today,” Aaron Ramsdale has told ITV.
On what this means for the season: “I’m not sure. City are a bit behind their pre-season. For us, it’s a statement. It’s a marker to know we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters.
“I’m not sure what it’ll be like this season. But that mental block is gone. We’re ready to push on now.”
Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield on penalties
Declan Rice speaking to ITV:
“I am buzzing, this is what I visioned when I joined.
“City gave us what we expected, but I am buzzing – so happy. You have to have the patience against them, you have to have mini games within the game against them like the manager said to us before.
“To win today, my first for the club.
“I feel I’ve grown a lot in the last three weeks. There’s a lot of information to take in of what the manager wants. I’m eager to learn and keep improving.
“I’m sure we can achieve anything this seaosn - we just need to remain focused.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments