Arsenal wins the Community Shield decisively with 3:0 against Manchester City

Arsenal added another before the break. Kai Havertz latched onto a pass from Bukayo Saka and slotted home calmly to make it 2-0. Manchester City looked disorganized in this phase, finding few answers against the Londoners' compact defense.

After the restart, the game initially petered out before Arsenal struck again in the closing stages. A counterattack fell to substitute Gabriel Jesus, who finished from close range to complete the scoring. Manchester City remained harmless until the final whistle and suffered the heaviest Community Shield defeat in years.

Reactions after the match

City coach Enzo Maresca conceded after the game that his team had not yet been at match fitness. „Wir brauchen noch Zeit, aber das ist keine Entschuldigung“, the coach said, according to dpa. Arsenal officials, by contrast, were pleased with the start to the 2026/27 season.

For Arsenal, the Community Shield triumph is a welcome opener following a transfer window in which Calafiori was regarded as the most important signing. Coach Mikel Arteta stressed that the title should be seen as a „Weckruf“ for the new season. Manchester City, meanwhile, must put the defeat behind them quickly, as the Premier League kicks off as early as next weekend.

Significance for the season

There were no injuries on either side. The referee was Stuart Attwell, who officiated the match without any major controversies. In total, three goals were scored, with no red cards.

The Community Shield, contested between the league champion and the cup winner since 1908, is regarded in England as the first benchmark of the season. Arsenal last won the trophy in 2023 and 2020.