talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent ALEX CROOK previews Sunday’s Community Shield as MAN CITY take on ARSENAL at Wembley. Where are the angles on starsports.bet?
Manchester City v Arsenal
FA Community Shield
4pm ITV1,STV,ITVX,STV Player
⭐ STARSPORTS.BET MARKET ⭐
Manchester City and Arsenal served up a thrilling Premier League title race for much of last season before the Gunners were ultimately ground down by Pep Guardiola’s relentless winning machine.
Guardiola and his former assistant, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, renew rivalries at Wembley on Sunday as the new campaign, which promises to be even more competitive, officially gets underway with the Community Shield.
City dominated the head-to-head meetings last season, claiming a crucial win at the Emirates to begin to wrestle back control of the championship before battering Arsenal 4-1 at home in April.
Guardiola’s men also knocked the Gunners out of the FA Cup en route to claiming a historic treble.
In fact, Arteta has had nine attempts to topple managerial mentor Guardiola since leaving the Spaniard’s side and come out on the winning team just once.
That, and the fact City have won the last 12 Premier League meetings between the pair, are good reasons as to why the champions are heavy favourites at 3/4 with starsports.bet to win in 90 minutes.
But that does not take into account two key factors; Firstly, Guardiola’s obvious disdain for the traditional ‘curtain-raiser’. ‘Nobody counts it,’ he claimed in 2019 before suggesting similar matches in Spain and Germany have more important placed upon them.
Secondly, it is less than eight weeks since City completed the last leg of the treble by beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul, meaning they are not as far into their pre-season preparation as Arsenal.
Don’t forget to check out the Star Sports season preview videos I filmed along with Bianca Westwood and Robbie Savage. Hopefully we can unearth some winners for you. CLICK BELOW …
City have contested four of the last five runnings of the Community Shield and have only come out on top without the need for penalties once, losing each of the last two to Leicester and Liverpool respectively.
Guardiola is also having to reshape his team after losing captain Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona and Wembley specialist Riyad Mahrez to Saudi Arabia during the transfer window.
I would also suggest it is more important for Arsenal to win than City, with Arteta looking to inflict an early psychological blow as the Gunners bid to go one better than last season.
With all this in mind I am really taken with Arsenal at 31/10 with starsports.bet to emerge victorious in 90 minutes.
I can also see goals in the game as it is effectively a glorified friendly, giving both teams the chance to fine tune ahead of the big Premier League kick-off, and over 2.5 goals is 4/6 with starsports.bet
Arsenal have been one of the Premier League’s biggest spenders this summer and this will be a chance for the likes of Declan Rice, the most expensive British player ever, and Kai Havertz to make an instant early impression on the fans.
Havertz has a habit of being the man for the big occasion, with winning goals in both the Champions League final (against City) and the Club World Cup.
I am not totally sure where the German will fit into the Arsenal team, but with Gabriel Jesus injured there is a chance he could start as a false number nine, and therefore I will be having a few quid on Havertz to score first at 8/1 with starsports.bet
If you are feeling really ambitious and want to get the new campaign off to a flying start, you can combine my selections in a build-a-bet, which pays 29/1 with starsports.bet
RECOMMENDED BETS
Arsenal to win in 90 minutes 2pts 31/10 (⭐
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Over 2.5 goals 1.5pts 4/6 (⭐
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Kai Havertz to score first 0.5 pts 8/1 (⭐
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Good luck
ALEX CROOK
STAR PROMOTIONS
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