Wembley Stadium will host a mouth-watering Manchester derby on Saturday afternoon as Manchester City and Manchester United renew acquaintances in the Community Shield.
Pep Guardiola’s troops will be out for vengeance when they lock horns with the Red Devils at the iconic ground after falling to a 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup final in May.
Coming off the back of a Premier League-winning campaign, the Cityzens were fancied as overwhelming favourites to successfully defend their FA Cup crown and secure a double for the second consecutive season.
However, Man United had other plans. They went into the fixture eager to atone for their 2023 defeat against Man City.
Man United had a lot riding on the FA Cup final. After ending the season in eighth, constituting their worst-ever finish in Premier League history, success in the FA Cup was their only route to continental football.
Rumours also claimed failure to secure success in England’s oldest competition would signal the end of Erik ten Hag’s tenure as Man United manager, so they had plenty to fight for at Wembley.
Buoyed by their European ambition and a burning desire to stick it to their local rivals, Man United emerged victorious in the mouth-watering showdown.
Goals from academy graduates Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho late in the first half put Ten Hag’s troops in a commanding position with one hand on the title.
Man City threatened a comeback with a late strike from Jeremy Doku, but Pep Guardiola’s side ultimately fell short and were denied a double as Ten Hag secured his second title as Man United manager.
With both sides now set to lock horns in the traditional curtain raiser to the Premier League season, Ten Hag will be hoping to inflict further damage on the Cityzens in the Community Shield.
While Guardiola’s side will be looking to avenge their FA Cup final defeat, the Community Shield hasn’t been kind to the Cityzens in recent years, in further boost to Man United’s hopes of success.
Nevertheless, neither side have enjoyed a fruitful pre-season campaign, so it could come down to who wants it more in the blockbuster derby at Wembley.
Both sides are expected to put on a show, and seatsnet.com offers fans a chance to purchase Man Utd vs Man City tickets at unbeatable prices and secure their spot in the stands this weekend.
Guardiola and Ten Hag will lock horns for the seventh time. Ten Hag ended a three-game losing streak in the FA Cup final victory in May, which perhaps saved his job and earned him a new contract.
Match preview
Man United head into the Community Shield against bitter rivals Man City on the back of a fairly disappointing pre-season campaign.
Ten Hag’s side managed just two wins from five matches (D1, L2), culminating in a humbling 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Goals from Fabio Carvalho, Curtis Jones, and Kostas Tsimikas condemned the Red Devils to defeat, but none of that will matter when they square off with Man City in the Community Shield.
Ten Hag will be quick to point out that pre-season form rarely dictates the outcome of a season, but Man United will have to step things up when they take on their local rivals.
The Dutchman has won the League Cup and FA Cup during his spell at Old Trafford.
A Community Shield triumph would be the perfect tonic for the squad and fans alike, injecting much-needed confidence ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Historically, Man United hold the edge in Community Shield appearances and victories. But with Man City’s dominance in English football, this year’s clash promises to be a thrilling encounter.
While the traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season might not hold the same weight as other trophies, the Cityzens have a history of stumbling at this early hurdle.
Successive defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal have cast a shadow over their preparations, and with a squad disrupted by international duty, it remains to be seen if they are sufficiently prepared to buck the trend.
Guardiola’s side have become uncomfortably familiar with penalty shoot-outs in recent times, often emerging on the wrong end of the lottery.
Their record in this high-pressure situation is a stark contrast to their usual dominance.
They have lost three of their last four penalty shoot-outs, falling to defeat against Real Madrid, Arsenal, and West Ham United. Two of those came last season, including one in the Community Shield.
A third consecutive Community Shield defeat last season equalled a club record set by Man United in 2001.
Given Man City’s lofty ambitions, avoiding another defeat will be a priority. While the Community Shield might be a mere appetiser, it’s one that the Cityzens have struggled to savour in recent years.
Team news & potential line-ups
Man City are gearing up for the new season amidst a summer of squad overhaul.
Signing Savinho from sister club Troyes is their only significant acquisition so far, but departures from the Etihad Stadium have been more notable.
A number of squad players have secured exits, but the big question mark hangs over the future of goalkeeper Ederson.
The Brazilian has been heavily linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia and is expected to start the Community Shield on the bench, with Stefan Ortega lining up between the sticks.
Up front, the situation is equally fluid. Argentine striker Julian Alvarez is reportedly set for a big-money move to Atletico Madrid.
However, the return of European Championship finalists Rodri, John Stones and Kyle Walker will provide a much-needed boost to the squad.
Despite recent suggestions that Erling Braut Haaland’s minutes should be managed, the Norwegian striker’s hat trick against Chelsea has all but confirmed his place in the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag survived another summer at the helm of Man United.
Speculation had been rife about the Dutchman’s future following a disappointing Premier League campaign, but his FA Cup triumph appears to have bought him crucial time.
The Red Devils have undergone a squad overhaul this summer, with Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, and Willy Kambwala departing Old Trafford. Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro have arrived in their place.
Unfortunately, the latter’s Old Trafford career has been placed on hold after suffering an injury in pre-season that will keep him out for three months.
Rasmus Hojlund is also sidelined, but his absence is expected to be shorter.
With both strikers unavailable, Ten Hag has hinted at deploying Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho as makeshift forwards.
The Dutchman will be hoping for a smoother start to the new season than last year, where a stuttering campaign almost cost him his job.
Man City potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Stefan Ortega: Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Kyle Walker; Mateo Kovacic, Rodri; Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva; Erling Braut Haaland.
Man United potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Andre Onana; Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Jonny Evans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka; Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro; Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo; Jadon Sancho.
