Ten kneejerk reactions from the Community Shield: Arsenal title, Maresca sack…

Everyone’s favourite curtain-raiser™ is over for another year, with Arsenal sweeping aside Manchester City on Sunday to lift the Community Shield.

A glorified friendly in the eyes of many, we didn’t even think it was worthy of 16 Conclusions. But that won’t stop some from making bold predictions on the back of Arsenal’s 3-0 win.

So, here are some of the biggest kneejerk reactions from the 2026 Community Shield…

Arsenal made light work of City, presumably their closest challengers in the title race this season if we assume it might be a bit too soon for Liverpool and Chelsea, who are starting new regimes. And if we ignore Johnny and his logic.

So, as the defending champions, Arsenal will make light work of their title defence, right?

Don’t be daft. It’s far too soon to say. They’re the obvious favourites for the title and have only entrenched that status with their win over City.

But title races are unpredictable, especially when Arsenal are involved. Even last season, they threatened to not do it the easy way. Bottle this, bottle that.

Perhaps finally getting over the line was all they needed to kickstart a more dominant era. Look at PSG in the Champions League and how a team that have waited so long for a particular title can reclaim it instantly once they’ve finally worked out how to do it.

But then again, even Arsene Wenger’s great Invincibles side could not retain. This Premier League title race will be no walk in the park for Arsenal, nor any other challengers for their crown.

Will we be surprised if they’re lifting the trophy again in May? Absolutely not. Do we know for certain it’s happening already? Nope.

Elliot Anderson a massive overspend

Didn’t even need the Community Shield to kick off for this one to spring up. The £116m fee City have paid for Anderson has raised eyebrows since the second the deal was agreed.

And on his competitive debut for City, Anderson did not manage to deflect the narrative.

Of City’s outfield starters, only Jeremy Doku had a lower pass completion rate than the expensive new midfield man. Anderson also failed to win a single tackle and only made one interception.

On the same weekend City gave their green light to Barcelona’s latest bid for Rodri, it highlighted how much scrutiny there will be on their midfield and Anderson in particular this season.

From first evidence, a double pivot of Anderson and Mateo Kovacic isn’t going to work. There will be flop shouts from the get-go for the former, and perhaps some classic clamour for Nico Gonzalez to get a chance over the latter.

Anderson could yet be a roaring success at the Etihad. He’s a talented 23-year-old with margin for growth. But you need to hit the ground running at City and he might struggle to do that.

It’s been a summer of overspends in the Premier League. Anderson might be the biggest of them all.

Maresca won’t last the season

Only one Manchester City manager has lost their first game in charge by three goals before Enzo Maresca and that was back in 1906. They went through a century of pre-takeover mediocrity without it happening again.

Much like Anderson because of his fee, there is pressure on City’s new boss from the outset because of a factor he can’t control: replacing Pep Guardiola is an unenviable task for anyone.

Comparisons to their trajectories will be inevitable and Maresca is unlikely to come out on top. Suffer more humbling defeats like this first game and it could reach an early breaking point.

We’ve seen the pattern before across Manchester. When a long-serving legend like Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, David Moyes only made it to April of his debut season.

Maresca is a competent manager, but might not be up to the task of succeeding in Guardiola’s shadow.

On the flip side, clubs who have stuck with a manager for a long time can be hesitant to pull the trigger too quickly on the next one. Maresca won’t be the first manager to lose his job this season, but we can’t guarantee he’ll still be in post this time next year.

Havertz to win battle with Gyokeres

Through the bridesmaid years we thought that all Arsenal needed was a Proper Striker.

And so last summer a sum of £55m was spent on the signing of Viktor Gyokeres. And then, Arsenal won the league.

But although Gyokeres had a decent season, he didn’t completely convince.

For the Community Shield, it was attacking-midfielder-turned-striker Kai Havertz who got the nod. And by scoring the second goal, he made the most of his chance.

But in general, Arsenal were more expansive and expressive than their style from last season. In other words, they actually played a bit of football. If that continues – which in itself might be a kneejerk assumption – then it suits Havertz more than Gyokeres.

Tzolis a signing of the season contender

It’s fair to say Christos Tzolis has been overlooked somewhat since his arrival at Arsenal. Those links with Vinicius Junior, who’d have been an instant upgrade, didn’t help.

But Arsenal signed Tzolis for a reason and he began to show it against City. He became the first Arsenal player to make two assists on debut since Willian. And that went swimmingly from there…

But no, Tzolis stands every chance of having his say for Arsenal this season. In a world where players are increasingly judged on goals and assists, he tends to deliver.

Whether he can keep that up in the long run remains to be seen. Arsenal already saw last season with Gyokeres that a player with incredible numbers in an inferior league can’t always translate them to the Premier League.

Tzolis has done all he could from his first impression. And in this aforementioned window of inflated fees, could £34m turn out to be a bargain?

Lewis-Skelly has saved his Arsenal career

We’ve seen a lot about Lewis-Skelly in the gossip columns recently. Is he part of Arsenal’s plans or not?

It only took him half a minute to respond. His clever turn and pass for Riccardo Calafiori created the Community Shield’s first goal.

All of a sudden, Lewis-Skelly – the player who fought his way into the Arsenal midfield by the end of last season, only to see his chances of settling there threatened by the signing of Bruno Guimaraes – was back.

They both started in the Community Shield, not that we can read too much into that line-up as a sign of Mikel Arteta’s preferences.

But Lewis-Skelly’s impact was a timely reminder that he can have his say for Arsenal. He’s still only 19, remember.

These are the kind of games he needs to replicate to save his Arsenal career. He might just be doing that.

Zubimendi now fourth choice at best

Tying into the Lewis-Skelly revival factor, Martin Zubimendi might have questions over his own place in Arsenal’s plans now.

He was a solid signing when he first arrived from Real Sociedad last summer, but he got knackered by the end of the season and his form dropped off.

A summer of rest should have helped, but a World Cup summer is no ordinary one. He only played once but being part of a Spain squad that went all the way has shifted his timelines way off.

And now Zubimendi is in a battle to get back to his best for Arsenal. There have been murmurs of a move away already.

Unless he can dislodge Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice, it might be something he has to consider.

You get the feeling Zubimendi will still be at Arsenal by the end of the window, but he has his work cut out to get back up the pecking order if he does stay.

Khusanov can’t play right-back

City were forced into an unorthodox change to their plans when Matheus Nunes had to withdraw ahead of kick-off.

Abdukodir Khusanov became the makeshift right-back, but he couldn’t cope with what Arsenal had to offer.

City will now be sweating over the injury status of Nunes, himself once a makeshift right-back but now very much settled as their main option in that position.

Khusanov, 22, still has time to learn the trade, but on that showing, he’s out of his depth at right-back and should stick to the centre.

In that case, City had better hurry up and sign a new right-back if Nunes’ injury is significant. Chelsea can now name their price for Malo Gusto.

City’s three behind the striker isn’t title worthy

Boasting one of the best strikers in the world – even if he was largely anonymous against Arsenal – City usually know they’re in safe hands with their attack.

But the attacking trio picked behind Haaland against Arsenal won’t strike fear into their rivals, at least not if they play like that.

Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo were selected as the wingers, with Phil Foden in the number 10 role.

Is it a good enough trio to challenge for the title? The jury is out. It depends on which version of Foden turns up this season and if the wingers can improve their end product.

We know Semenyo has it in him after what he did for Bournemouth over the first half of last year. But can he reach the next level with City or was it just a step too far for him?

Semenyo and Doku each created two chances against Arsenal; Foden didn’t create any. Haaland will need better service if he’s to be at his most potent this season.

The Odegaard redemption arc has begun

In contrast, Arsenal’s attacking midfielder offered hints of a revival after a season of stagnation last time out.

It’s bonkers that Odegaard hadn’t scored for Arsenal during 2026 until yesterday, but now he has a chance of redemption.

His World Cup campaign, with four assists from five games, offered signs of encouragement. Now he has a goal against City under his belt as he prepares for the actual new season.

With his contract expiring in two years’ time, this season is a crucial one for Odegaard. If he doesn’t do well, Arsenal may well be inclined to cash in while they can next year.

But at 27, he should still be at his best. Arsenal need creativity in their midfield and Odegaard can provide that at the peak of his powers.

Time will tell how long he can preserve his revival, but it has begun.