Arsenal began their 2026/27 campaign in spectacular fashion after defeating Manchester City 3-0 to lift the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s side needed only 23 seconds to take the lead, with Riccardo Calafiori finishing calmly after being played through by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The lightning-fast goal set the tone for an impressive Arsenal performance as the Premier League champions looked sharper and more composed than their opponents.
City struggled to respond, with David Raya keeping out an effort from Phil Foden before denying Erling Haaland as Arsenal maintained control.
The Gunners doubled their advantage before the break when Martin Ødegaard delivered a cross towards the far post. New signing Christos Tzolis headed the ball back across goal, allowing Kai Havertz to finish and make it 2-0.
Arsenal needed just three minutes after the restart to put the result beyond doubt.
Tzolis again played a key role, setting up captain Ødegaard, who produced a composed finish after working his way through the City defence.
The Greek forward’s two assists made him one of the standout performers on his competitive Arsenal debut.
For Manchester City, the defeat marked a difficult first competitive match for new manager Enzo Maresca, who has taken over following Pep Guardiola’s departure.
City rarely threatened consistently and were unable to find a way past an organised Arsenal defence. Haaland, who finished last season as the Premier League’s Golden Boot winner with 27 goals, was kept quiet and substituted before the hour mark.
The victory gives Arsenal an early piece of silverware and strengthens the belief that Arteta’s team could once again challenge for major honours.
Ødegaard said after the match that Arsenal had shown they were ready to defend their Premier League crown and compete for more trophies.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to their Premier League opener against Coventry City on Friday, while Manchester City will begin their campaign against Bournemouth on August 23.
The Community Shield is only the opening chapter of the new season, but Arsenal’s emphatic victory has already sent a strong message to their domestic rivals.
