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The curtain-raiser in England will see Manchester City take on Arsenal in the Community Shield this Sunday. Under Pep Guardiola's leadership, Man City achieved an exceptional feat of winning treble last season, with the Premier League title providing the most drama of the three. Mikel Arteta had the Gunners at the league summit for 248 days before a late season collapse saw them cede the title to the Citizens, whose FA Cup success handed Arsenal the consolation prize of a Community Shield ticket. The 248 days spent on top of the league without winning it is a Premier League record, likely causing Mikel Arteta some sleepless nights. While an Arsenal victory on Sunday won't erase last season's disappointment, it could significantly ignite their spirits for the upcoming campaign. 

 
Both teams have undergone major facelifts since the last time we saw them in a competitive game. Arsenal, for instance, has made significant investments of over £200m, grabbing players like Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and their record-breaking signing, Declan Rice. These acquisitions reflect the Gunners' clear determination not only to secure their place in the Top 4 but also to challenge [Manchester City for the title](https://m.betking.com/blog/news/arteta-s-big-summer-and-the-quest-to-dethrone-man-city/). 

 
For Man City, they’ve let go of two veterans; İlkay Gündoğan (Barcelona) and Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli). Both players were instrumental to the club’s treble campaign and, indeed, the dynasty they’ve built. However, Pep Guardiola has efficiently replaced talents over the years. So, while the absence of Gündoğan and Mahrez would be felt, we don’t expect a significant impact. The team's new arrivals feature Croatian duo: Mateo Kovačić in midfield and Joško Gvardiol in defense. Both players played pivotal roles in their country's third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup, and Guardiola expects a similar level of contribution from them.  

 
Ahead of this game, it is important to note that while Manchester City has had the better of Arsenal in recent years, Pep Guardiola historically places very little importance on the Community Shield, often viewing it as an opportunity to improve his players' fitness. Manchester City has taken part in four of the last five Community Shield games, however, they've suffered defeats in the last two: a 3-1 loss to Liverpool last year and a 1-0 loss to Leicester City the year before.  

 
Interestingly, the Citizens have played in just three pre-season matches, compared to Arsenal's five. Guardiola granted his team an extended break, resuming their training a few weeks later than other squads. While Man City remains an overall better team, it is undeniable that Arsenal is the fitter team having had more minutes under their belts, and this could play a part on Sunday. Hence, what initially seemed like a safe bet favoring Manchester City to win at odds of 1.75 could ultimately result in disappointment. We recommend our online sports betting community to consider avoiding a bet on Manchester City's victory and instead explore the potential value in our other betting offers available for this game.  


**Head-To-Head** 

The recent head-to-head record is quite disheartening for Arsenal, to say the least. Their solitary victory over Manchester City in the last 16 matches across all competitions was Mikel Arteta's 2-0 FA Cup triumph in July 2020. Out of these 16 encounters, Manchester City has claimed victory in 15, including the last 8 in a row. Last season, Manchester City beat Arsenal in all 3 meetings, with Erling Haaland notably contributing two goals and three assists across those games. At 1.75, BetKing provides high odds for the Norwegian to score at anytime and one of our betting tips today is for you to jump on that.  

Bet on Erling Haaland to Score At Anytime 

It’s also worth noting that the three meetings between both sides last season produced 10 goals; an average of 3.3 goals per game, and @1.65, we provide the best odds among betting sites for Sunday’s game to follow the trend by producing **over 2.5 goals**.  

Bet on Over 2.5 Goals 

Bet on Both Teams to Score 

**Pre-Season Form** 

**Arsenal** : D-W-L-W-W 

**Manchester City** : W-W-L 

 

**Team News** 

**Arsenal** : The major update for the Gunners revolves around **Gabriel Jesus'** absence following a knee surgery, linked to a prior injury that sidelined him for 3 months last season. Manager, Mikel Arteta suggests he will miss the start of the season and in his place, we expect **Eddie Nketiah** to start over want-away striker, **Folarin Balogun**. **Oleksandr Zinchenko** hasn’t played a minute of preseason because of a calf-injury, and will miss also this game. In his place, newcomer **Jurrien Timber** is expected to step in at Left Back, having filled that role extensively during the preseason, especially with **Kieran Tierney's** impending departure. In positive news for the Gunners, **Bukayo Saka** will return after being an unused substitute in the mid-week Emirates Cup match against Monaco due to a slight illness. With an impressive record of 14 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League last season, the Englishman is expected to play a key role for Arsenal this caimpaign, and one of our betting prediction ahead of this game is that he starts that off with an assist on Sunday.  

King’s Combo: Bet on Bukayo Saka to give 1 or more Assist

**Manchester City** : The only notable absentee for the treble winners is **Kevin De Bruyne**. The veteran midfielder hasn’t fully recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered in the Champions League final and was absent from all 3 of the team's pre-season matches. While he has resumed training, the best fans can hope for is a place on the bench for him, as he’s too unfit to start. As stated earlier, Man City has also completed the signing of **Joško Gvardiol** from RB Leipzig for £77.6m making him the second most expensive defender of all-time, behind Manchester United’s Harry Maguire. However, we suspect that Sunday may be too soon for him to make his debut and, just like De Bruyne, a place on the bench is the best fans can hope for.  


**Expected Line-Up** 

**Arsenal** : (4-3-3) Ramsdale / White - Saliba - Gabriel - Timber / Partey - Rice - Ødegaard / Martinelli - Nketiah - Saka  

**Manchester City** : (4-3-3) Ederson / Walker - Dias - Stones - Akanji / Rodri - Kovacic - Foden / Silva - Haaland - Grealish 

 

 

"Haaland, Salah, Harry Kane, Rashford or Martinelli, who wins the EPL Golden Boot next season? Read more here and sign up with BetKing for best odds."

Betting Tips

Community Shield Preview: Arsenal vs. Manchester City

Bet on Erling Haaland to Score At Anytime

Bet on Over 2.5 Goals

Bet on Both Teams to Score

King’s Combo: Bet on Bukayo Saka to give 1 or more Assist