The 2019-20 season has just come to an end with Bayern Munich taking the Champions League trophy thanks to a 1-0 win over Paris St Germain in what was something of a rather disappointing and low-key final. However, barely a week later and the Premier League season will get underway with the traditional curtain raiser as Champions Liverpool face FA Cup holders Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley.
It should be an interesting game. The Gunners were just one of three teams (the others being Manchester City and Watford) that managed to beat Liverpool in the Premier League last season, when recording a 2-1 win at the Emirates in the games post-lockdown. However, Liverpool have been something of a bĂŞte noire for Arsenal over recent times, winning most of the encounters between the teams.
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Let’s now take a look at the history of the Community Shield as well as the chances of the two teams set to contest it this weekend.
History of the Community Shield
Formerly known as the Charity Shield, the FA Community Shield is the traditional curtain raiser to the Premier League season, and it pits the winners of the Premier League (or formerly the League Championship) against the team that won the FA Cup the previous season.
The game has not always been played at Wembley, only moving to the ground in 1974 and before that it was played at a number of different venues around the country. Apart from a brief spell when the game was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff from 2001 to 2006, Wembley has generally been its home.
Manchester United are the most decorated team in Community Shield history winning it 21 times, the two finalists on Sunday, Liverpool and Arsenal come next on that list with 15 wins apiece, so whoever wins on Saturday will become the second-most successful team in the tournament’s history. Arsenal last won the trophy in 2017, but Liverpool’s last win was back in 2006.
Manchester City are the current holders of the trophy having won it the past two years, last year defeating Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after the two teams drew 1-1.
Liverpool Preview
Liverpool go into this game having been the runaway champions of the Premier League, bringing to an end their 30-year wait for a league title. Jurgen Klopp’s men also added the World Club Cup and the Super Cup to their haul last season and were European Champions the year before that and they will start this game as the clear favourites.
From last season, Liverpool have seen just Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren leave the club, while left back Kostas Tsimikas has joined from Olympiakos, although further moves out of the club are expected for a couple of fringe players.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain will miss the game against his former club through injury but other than that and a couple of little niggles for a number of players, the Reds should be at pretty much full strength for the season opener.
Predicted Liverpool Team – (4-3-3) – Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, Henderson, Fabinho, Keita, Salah, Mane, Firmino
Arsenal Preview
Arsenal’s biggest signigns of the summer may be the ability of the Gunners to hold onto Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. That along with the free transfer arrival of Willian and William Saliba returning from loan at St.Etienne means that the Gunners could have a slightly different look for the game with Liverpool on Saturday.
Keeper Bernd Leno remains injured, so Emiliano Martinez will likely continue as a deputy while a new two-year contract for defender David Luiz seems to suggest that despite some fierce criticism last season, the Brazilian is still very much in Mikel Arteta’s plans for the season.
The Gunners did beat Liverpool 2-1, thanks to rare mistakes from van Dijk and Alisson at the Emirates towards the tail end of last season, but their record against Liverpool generally, especially away from their home ground isn’t great and this will be a good test for Mikel Arteta’s men to see how far they have come.
Predicted Arsenal Team – (4-3-3) – Martinez, Bellerin, Tierney, Luiz, Papasthatopoulos, Xhaka, Willian, Saka, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Torreira.
Community Shield Tips
There is no doubt that Arsenal have made strides under Mikel Arteta since the former Gunners player took over at the club, but even so, it is a big ask for them to repeat their success over the Champions this season at Wembley. Liverpool will know that by their own lofty standards, their end of season form wasn’t as strong as they would have wanted it to be, albeit by that point defeats to Arsenal and Man City didn’t matter.
That said, with a new season, I expect a far more focussed Liverpool performance and I feel they are the team to back to win at 8/13.
As for the Correct Score, I think a 2-1 Liverpool win at 15/2 with bet365 Sport looks a great value bet, while for an anytime goalscorer, Sadio Mane at 21/20 would be my pick given the Senegalese star’s superb record against the Gunners.
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