Arsenal vs Chelsea, Community Shield - as it happened: Gunners beat London rivals on penalties

Follow all the live action from the Community Shield as champions Chelsea take on FA Cup winners Arsenal

Sead Kolasinac in action for Arsenal (Getty)

When Chelsea faces Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday, the winner may be which team can best put a turbulent offseason behind them.

The traditional season curtain raiser at Wembley Stadium features league champion Chelsea against FA Cup winner Arsenal.

Past Community Shield matches have often lacked genuine competitiveness, but the shared summer of discontent and a fierce London rivalry should guarantee entertainment on Sunday.

Follow live coverage of the match below...

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When is it?

The Community Shield kicks-off on Sunday afternoon, at the slightly unusual time of 2pm.

Where can I follow it?

The game will be screened live on BT Sport 1, with their coverage beginning at 1pm.

Alternatively, you can follow all of the action with The Independent’s live blog. Simply return to this page an hour ahead of kick-off.

What’s the latest team news?

Arsenal: Manager Arsene Wenger has been trying to keep hold of Alexis Sanchez as the Gunners attempt to return to the Champions League after missing out on qualification for the first time in 20 years. Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is desperate to increase the size of his "small squad" as the Blues prepare to defend its Premier League title.

“The strength of professional people is to not be diverted by noises that are not their problem,” Wenger said Thursday.

There's a lot of noise.

It seems as though Sanchez is staying (Arsenal FC via Getty) (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Sanchez was Arsenal's leading scorer with 30 goals last season, including the opener in its FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea at Wembley in May. He appears to have decided his future lies away from north London but Wenger disagrees.

“He is focused. My decision is clear, he will stay and he will respect that and that's as simple as that,” Wenger said of the Chile forward.

Despite signing France striker Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon in July for a club record 60 million euros (then $68 million), Arsenal has chosen to keep Sanchez for the final year of his contract. That risks the possibility of losing the 28-year-old star on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Chelsea: Conte won the title in his first season at Stamford Bridge with a squad lacking depth, but wants multiple new faces to cope with the additional strain of Champions League football.

“Now, for us, it's very important to try to improve our squad's numerical aspect, because we have a small squad and I think only one player is not enough to improve our team,” Conte said on Friday.

Chelsea has signed striker Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco and defender Antonio Rudiger from Roma during the offseason, but those arrivals have been offset by the departures of Nemanja Matic and John Terry. Also, Diego Costa is no longer wanted by Conte.

Alvaro Morata in action for Chelsea (Getty)

There have been reports of unrest between Conte and the Chelsea hierarchy over transfer policy, which were further fueled in July when the former Italy manager received a salary increase but did not extend his contract, which expires in 2019.

“The most important thing is the club knows my opinion and they're trying to do the best for our team, our squad,” Conte said. “Now we have to wait, we must have patience.”

What are the latest odds?

Arsenal to win in 90 minutes: 9/4
Chelsea to win in 90 minutes: 6/5
Draw after 90 minutes: 5/2

[6 August 2017 15:41 · Evan Bartlett]

RED! Pedro has gone down with cramp after scraping his studs down Elneny's calf. And it's a red card for the Spaniard once he gets to his feet! It did look a nasty one. 

Ten minutes to go. Can Arsenal get back into it?

[6 August 2017 15:43 · Evan Bartlett]

GOAL Arsenal! Kolasinac (82 mins) The Gunners capitalise immediately. Xhaka curls in the free-kick and it's the new boy Sead Kolasinac who rises above everyone else and heads it past Courtois. "He's going to become a cult figure at Arsenal," thunders Steve McManaman on commentary. It's hard to disagree going by today's performance...

[6 August 2017 15:47 · Evan Bartlett]

85 mins: Arsenal are having the better of play since that red card. There will be no extra-time today but can Chelsea hold on for penalties?

[6 August 2017 15:49 · Evan Bartlett]

SUB: Reiss Nelson - he of viral training videos - comes on for Welbeck. 

[6 August 2017 15:51 · Evan Bartlett]

90 mins: There will be 5 minutes of injury time here - and then it will be penalties.

[6 August 2017 15:52 · Evan Bartlett]

90+1 mins: Half chance for Arsenal as Walcott scuffs a shot wide from 20 yards.

[6 August 2017 15:52 · Evan Bartlett]

90+2 mins: Free-kick to Chelsea. It's a great ball in from Fabregas but Morata is marginally offside. Arsenal immediately break down the other end but Cahill puts in a good block.

[6 August 2017 15:55 · Evan Bartlett]

90+3 mins: It's a frenetic end to the Community Shield with neither side looking like they fancy penalties. Can someone snatch it at the end? 

[6 August 2017 15:57 · Evan Bartlett]

FULL-TIME: Neither side can grab a late winner and we'll be heading for penalties. 

[6 August 2017 16:02 · Evan Bartlett]

PENALTIES: The teams will be using the new ABBA penalty format this afternoon and it is Chelsea who will be going first.