Manchester City vs Arsenal preview
The new Premier League season is almost upon us, but first we have Manchester City vs Arsenal in the traditional curtain-raiser that is the Community Shield.
City swept all before them last term, winning the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Champions League. They became only the second English club in history to claim all three major prizes in a single season, and repeating the feat is the aim for Pep Guardiola's side this time around.
That will not be easy, of course. The season after Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, they picked up just one out of four major trophies. Moreover, City's squad has been weakened over the summer, with Ilkay Gundogan joining Barcelona and Riyad Mahrez moving to Saudi Arabia's Pro League. Mateo Kovacic has arrived from Chelsea but City's business feels incomplete.
Arsenal pushed Guardiola's men close last season, ultimately falling just five points short as they launched an unlikely Premier League title tilt. Mikel Arteta's side have got the bulk of their business done early this summer, adding Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber to the ranks in time for their pre-season tour of the USA.
The Community Shield is always a difficult match to predict and it would be a mistake to read too much into the eventual outcome, whatever it is. Remember, City lost this fixture 3-1 to Liverpool 12 months ago but went on to have a much more successful season than Jurgen Klopp's charges.
Arsenal will hope to lay down a marker against the reigning English and European champions, while City will be out to show why they remain the team to beat. The neutrals, for their part, will hope for a thrilling encounter at Wembley Stadium as these two teams prepare to lock horns in front of a capacity crowd.
Manchester City vs Arsenal kicks off at 4pm BST / 11am ET on Sunday, August 6. Follow our guide on how to watch a Manchester City vs Arsenal live stream wherever you are - starting with how to watch a Manchester City vs Arsenal live stream for FREE in the UK, and the paid-for options around the world.
Manchester City vs Arsenal live stream: watch the Community Shield game for FREE in the UK
Watch Manchester City vs Arsenal live stream from any country
If you're abroad during the Community Shield and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access.
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