Arsenal beat Manchester City 4-1 in a penalty shootout to win the Community Shield yesterday and strike the first blow in this season’s rivalry between the two clubs.
Fabio Vieira scored the winning spot-kick after Arsenal scored a late equaliser in stoppage-time to earn a 1-1 draw with the Premier League champions and take the game at London’s Wembley Stadium into a shootout.
Community Shield matches often have a “friendly” feel but with cynical fouls and crunching tackles in the London sunshine, there was no shortage of intensity — spilling over perhaps from last season’s title race in which City emerged victorious.
“For us, it’s a statement. It’s a marker to know we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters,” Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale told ITV.
“I’m not sure what it’ll be like this season. But that mental block is gone. We’re ready to push on now.”