Community Shield: Manchester City vs Manchester United
Preview: Manchester City vs Manchester United
The 102nd Community Shield, at Wembley Stadium on Saturday at 2:00pm GMT, will give us a Manchester derby as Manchester City face Manchester United for the first silverware of the new season. Last season, Manchester United won the FA Cup, while Manchester City celebrated their fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Last season, Manchester City fell short of repeating their impressive treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League from 2023. However, they still made history by becoming the first English top-flight team to win four titles in a row. The title race went down to the last day, but the reigning champions ultimately triumphed, finishing with 91 points and only three losses in another remarkable 38-game season, solidifying their position at the top of English football.
As they aim for a seventh Premier League title in eight years, they are also looking to avenge their previous loss to Manchester United by seeking their seventh Community Shield this Saturday. On August 3, Man City wrapped up their pre-season tour in the United States with a 4-2 win over Chelsea, who they will face again in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick in this match, marking their first friendly victory after earlier defeats to Celtic, AC Milan, and Barcelona.
Nearly two and half months have gone by since Manchester United capped off the 2023-24 season triumphantly by defeating the heavily favored Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final, claiming the trophy for the 13th time and preventing City from achieving a domestic double. After a disappointing Premier League season that saw them finish in a record low of eighth place, few expected the Red Devils to overcome their fierce rivals. However, a standout performance led to another piece of silverware for manager Erik ten Hag, who has signed a new contract lasting until 2026.
Thanks to their FA Cup victory, Manchester United will participate in this season’s Europa League. Their pre-season results have been mixed, with two wins and three losses in five friendly matches, including a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool during their recent tour of the United States. As Ten Hag and his team prepare for their opening Premier League match against Fulham on August 16, they must first focus on this weekend’s clash with Manchester City in their quest to win the Community Shield for a record 22nd time.
Head-to-head
In their last five encounters in all competitions, Manchester City has secured three victories against Manchester United, while United has won two, including a 2-1 win in their latest clash, which took place during last season’s FA Cup final.
Prediction
Despite the high number of goals scored in summer friendlies featuring both Manchester United and Manchester City, both teams might opt for a more cautious strategy in Saturday’s match to prevent additional injuries before the new season begins. Both teams have not demonstrated strong performance during the pre-season, but Manchester City definitely has a greater level of talent in their squad. We think they will manage to prevail at Wembley.
