FA Community Shield

The past season was of immense significance for Arsenal, the London club. After three consecutive English championships in which the Gunners finished second, the drive for progress had become so pressing that Mikel Arteta and his players came under serious pressure. In the first half of the season, the Gunners dealt with it best, becoming favorites for three domestic competitions and one European competition. The second half of the season did not unfold as the maximalists among Arteta's supporters had expected, but the London side secured the 'consolation prize' of the Premier League title. The consolation was that Arsenal reached the EFL Cup final, the FA Cup semi-final, and the Champions League final, but failed to achieve the ultimate goal in these tournaments. On one hand, defeats in the decisive stages of these competitions caused significant disappointment among Arsenal fans; on the other hand, the Gunners had not won the English league title for two and a half decades, and only this single event was truly monumental for the team. And the goals not achieved in the past season will provide strong motivation for Arsenal in the coming football year. It will begin with the match for the English Super Cup against last year's nemesis of the Gunners in the League Cup final. For the first time in ten years, Manchester City will take the field without Pep Guardiola. The magnificent Spaniard has stepped down, leaving behind a glorious legacy of trophies. In his place came a very talented but at odds with Chelsea's leadership Enzo Maresca. Recall that in a year and a half the Italian won with the 'Blues' the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup, and was dismissed at the first opportunity. Manchester City did not disdain such a specialist and, with a squad worth 1.5 billion euros and reinforced in the off-season by Elliott Anderson, are ready to return to the pinnacle of English football. Arsenal and Manchester City already contested the English Super Cup in 2023. Then the opponents scored late in the match, and in the penalty shootout the capital club won. The upcoming meeting promises to be spectacular and once again see an exchange of goals between the teams.