Enzo Maresca endured a nightmarish first competitive match in charge of Manchester City as Arsenal scored inside 24 seconds before powering to a 3-0 victory in the Community Shield on Sunday.
English soccer’s annual season curtain-raiser between the reigning Premier League (Arsenal) and FA Cup (City) champions offered a chance for an early assessment of the two teams most likely to challenge for the big trophies this campaign.
While Arsenal delivered
a statement performance — not least by scoring after 23 seconds through Riccardo Calafiori — at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, there might be some early concerns for City and Maresca at the start of the post-Pep Guardiola era.
Kai Havertz headed home the second goal in the 28th through the grasp of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Martin Odegaard ran unchallenged into City’s area, before sitting down Donnarumma with an outrageous dummy and slotting a finish into an unguarded net in the 48th.
Playful chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” came from Arsenal’s jubilant supporters toward Maresca for part of the game in which City rarely threatened opposition goalkeeper David Raya. Erling Haaland — only just back in training after the World Cup — was substituted in the 53rd minute after having just seven touches.
It was the perfect preparation for Arsenal ahead of the beginning of its Premier League title defense — at home to Coventry on Friday.
“I think we showed our level today — that we are ready,” Odegaard, Arsenal's captain, said. “We are serious and we want to do it again.”
City launches its league campaign two days later at home to Bournemouth and it remains to be seen if Maresca reacts to this defeat by changing his team around.
Calafiori ran on to Myles Lewis-Skelly's threaded throughball to give Arsenal an explosive start and score the first goal in the opening minute of the Community Shield since 1968.
On that occasion, Bobby Owen netted for City against West Bromwich Albion.
Rodri, Spain's World Cup-winning captain, wasn't with the City squad in Cardiff as he continues his recovery from minor back surgery to the backdrop of a potential move to Barcelona.
His absence leaves a huge hole in Maresca's midfield that might only have been partially filled by Elliot Anderson following his $155 million move from Nottingham Forest.
One interesting selection by City's new manager was Jack Grealish, who came on at the start of the second half. Does it suggest his career at City could be reignited after he was sent on loan to Everton last season?
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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