Arsenal will meet Manchester City in the 2023 Community Shield this Sunday. So, here is everything you need to know ahead of England’s traditional Wembley curtain-raiser.
The Gunners and the Citizens were the top two clubs in the country last term as they tussled for the Premier League title. Manchester City would pip Arsenal to the trophy en route to an historic European treble. Pep Guardiola’s side added the FA Cup and the Champions League.
It is likely that Arsenal and Manchester City will again duel for honours in 2023/24. But Mikel Arteta travels to Wembley without his full squad as the Gunners boss handles a raft of injury concerns. The north London giants could be without a few of their star names this weekend.
Sunday also marks the 101st edition of the Community Shield. The Football Association (The FA) first arranged the curtain-raiser in 1908 under the name of the Charity Shield. It changed names in 2002. So, here is everything you need to know about the 2023 Community Shield…
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When is the 2023 Community Shield?
The FA has scheduled the Community Shield to be played on Sunday, August 6 in 2023. This year’s fixture takes place one week later than the 2022 edition. Liverpool edged Manchester City 3-1 on July 30 in 2022. The Citizens briefly drew level at 1-1 but the Reds would still win.
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What time does the 2023 Community Shield kick-off?
The FA originally scheduled the 2023 Community Shield to kick off at 17:30 BST. But it later brought the kick-off time forward to 16:00 BST following consultation with all broadcasters, local authorities, police and the clubs involved amid widespread complaints by supporters.
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Numerous Manchester City fans were enraged by the 17:30 BST kick-off time over concerns about travelling via public transport. Citizens fan group, WeAre1894, even called for fans to boycott the tie in protest of the inconvenient kick-off time set at the behest of TV channels.
The FA moved to calm the fan unrest and confirmed on June 20 that the kick-off time for the 2023 Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City will be moved to 16:00 BST.
Where is the 2023 Community Shield being played?
Arsenal and Manchester City will play the 2023 Community Shield at Wembley. Their tie also marks a return to the national stadium as Liverpool beat Manchester City at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium in 2022. Wembley hosted the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final that week.
What TV channel is the 2023 Community Shield on?
ITV purchased the broadcasting rights to show the 2023 Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City on TV in most of the UK. It will show the game via the free-to-air public broadcast television network’s linear channel, ITV 1. It will also stream the meeting via ITV X.
Additionally, STV will broadcast the 2023 Community Shield on TV in Scotland and stream it via STV Player. The FA only confirmed what TV channels the 2023 Community Shield will be broadcasted via on June 16, 2023. But it is the same channels which broadcasted it in 2022.
Why are Arsenal in the 2023 Community Shield?
The Community Shield is generally contested between the winners of the previous season’s Premier League and FA Cup titles. But as Manchester City secured both in 2022/23, Arsenal qualified to face the Citizens in the 2023 Community Shield as the runners-up in the league.
Arsenal finished five points behind Manchester City for the 22/23 Premier League title on 84 points to the Citizens’ 89. The Emirates Stadium natives also scored 88 goals to the 94 by Guardiola’s Etihad Stadium side. While the Citizens allowed 33 to the 43 the Gunners let in.
Arsenal team and injury news for the Community Shield
Arsenal will not have a fully-fit team when they face Manchester City at Wembley as Arteta juggles some injury concerns. The Gunners boss confirmed after the Emirates Cup this week that Gabriel Jesus will miss the start of the 2023/24 season after undergoing minor surgery.
Jesus underwent surgery on Wednesday morning after feeling some discomfort in the knee he injured at the 2022 World Cup. He needed an operation on his medial collateral ligament that kept the striker out until March. Arteta expects Jesus to now miss a few weeks this time.
As well as Jesus missing the Community Shield due to an injury, Bukayo Saka may also miss Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City. The winger did not play in the Emirates Cup against AS Monaco on Wednesday after he developed a sickness bug. Arteta did not want to risk Saka.
Oleksandr Zinchenko might also be unavailable as Arsenal face his old team with the former Manchester City left-back recovering from a calf injury. The issue kept the Ukraine hero out of the Gunners’ entire pre-season. But Zinchenko is nearing a return to training with Arsenal.
What is Arsenal and Manchester City’s head-to-head record in the Community Shield?
The 2023 Community Shield marks the third time that Arsenal have played Manchester City in the traditional curtain raiser. They first met in the game in 1934 with the Gunners winning 4-0 at Highbury. Arsenal also beat Man City 3-0 in the 2014 Community Shield at Wembley.
Arsenal qualified for the 1934 Community Shield as the previous season’s Division One title-holders, while Manchester City had won the FA Cup. It was then the reverse situation for the 2014 clash with the Citizens winning the Premier League and the Gunners lifting the FA Cup.
What do the winners of the Community Shield get?
The main prize that the winners of the Community Shield get is the trophy itself. While The FA also awards both of the competing teams a cash prize for competing. But the money on offer is much less than is available in the league, domestic cups and European competitions.
Raising money for numerous charities and teams in the lower divisions is the main intention behind the Community Shield. But the Manchester Evening News reported that Manchester City and Liverpool shared a £1.25m prize pool when they met in the 2019 Community Shield.
How many times have Arsenal won the Community Shield?
A total of 16 Community Shield titles feature in Arsenal’s trophy history so far. The Gunners are one of the most successful teams in the one-off tie. Only Manchester United have lifted the trophy more often with 21. Manchester City have won the Community Shield six times.
Arsenal have also won the Community Shield 15 times outright having shared the title with Tottenham Hotspur in 1991. Manchester City have won all six of their titles to date outright.