Arsenal made a statement ahead of the new Premier League season after beating Manchester City 3-0 to win the 2026 Community Shield in Cardiff on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions produced a dominant display against the FA Cup holders, securing their second trophy in four months and their 18th Community Shield title.
The Gunners needed just 23 seconds to take the lead after Myles Lewis-Skelly played a superb pass into the path of Riccardo Calafiori, who calmly slotted the ball past new City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The early setback immediately put Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City under pressure as the former Chelsea manager took charge of the club for the first time in a competitive fixture following Pep Guardiola’s departure.
Havertz doubles Arsenal’s lead
Arsenal doubled their advantage in the 28th minute through Kai Havertz.
Summer signing Christos Tzolis nodded Martin Ødegaard’s cross back across the face of goal, allowing Havertz to meet it with a downward header that left Donnarumma with little chance.
City struggled to respond as Arsenal controlled possession and continued to threaten on the counter.
Ødegaard seals emphatic victory
The Gunners added a third goal just three minutes into the second half.
Tzolis again played a key role, finding Ødegaard inside the City penalty area. The Arsenal captain produced an excellent fake shot to send Donnarumma the wrong way before calmly passing the ball into the opposite corner.
The goal completed a convincing victory for Arsenal and provided an early indication of their ambitions for the new campaign.
Arsenal send Premier League warning
The result gives Arsenal significant early momentum as they prepare to defend their Premier League title.
Their victory over City also marked a memorable start to the new season, while underlining the growing rivalry between the two clubs after years of competition for domestic honours.
For City, meanwhile, the defeat represents a disappointing beginning to the post-Guardiola era under Maresca.
The Community Shield was staged at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, with Wembley unavailable because it is hosting Canadian singer The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour.
Arsenal’s emphatic victory means the champions begin the new campaign with another piece of silverware and a warning to their Premier League rivals that they intend to remain at the top.
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