FA Community Shield 2023

Sunday, 6th August 5pm(CEST)

Manchester City vs Arsenal

  • Met 190 times in the league before, Man City 59, Draws 44, Arsenal 87
  • Last head-to-heads (April) ended Man City 4-1 Arsenal
  • Met twice in the Community Shield before (1934, 2014)
  • Last Community Shield head-to-head (2014: Arsenal 3-0 Man City)
  • Man City have won the last 8 head-to-heads
  •  Man City have won their last 12 league games vs Arsenal
  • 13 of the last 16 league head-to-heads went OVER 2.5 GOALS
  • Both teams DIDN’T score in 9 of the last 15 head-to-heads (all comps)
  • 4 DRAWS in the last 22 head-to-heads
  • Man City have won 7 of the last 11 league head-to-heads ‘to nil’
  • Man City have scored 2+ goals in 10 of their last 12 league games vs Arsenal
  • 2 RED cards in the last 5 head-to-heads (both Arsenal)
  • Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) has scored 3 goals in the last 2 head-to-heads

 

It’s the FA Community Shield this Sunday and as all football fans know this is the traditional curtain-raiser to the new season.

Played between last season’s FA Cup winners and the league winners, but last season Manchester City mopped up both these competitions – meaning second placed (in the league) Arsenal get promoted up to play in this match.

Therefore, we hit the ground running with a real humdinger of a game as two of the big Premier League heavyweights trade blows in this early season clash.

Arsenal and Man City have met twice before in this match – 1934 and 2014, with Arsenal winning both (4-0 and 3-0).

However, despite City yet to score against the Gunners in this game, it will be the Manchester club that will be the big favourites to win here with the bookmakers making them 1.72 in the match betting, the draw 4.00 and Arsenal at 4.50.

City are even shorter at 1.40 to just lift the trophy, with Arsenal at 2.75.

The sides will also head into the game with City having won the last 8 head-to-heads and with the Blue Moon having also met Arsenal in the FA Cup last season and doing the league double over them – this means they won all three clashes last term.

In fact, City have won their last 12 league games vs the Gunners too, so hold the clear upper hand.

It’s also a clash that tends to get goals, with 13 of the last 16 meetings going OVER 2.5 GOALS – which is on the table at 1.66.

City have also won 7 of the last 11 league head-to-heads ‘to nil’ which might appeal at 3.25.

2+ goals for Manchester City has also been popular with the Blue Moon having produced this in 10 of their last 12 vs Arsenal, and this is on the table at 1.66.

With 2 RED CARDS in the last 5 meetings, this is another option to look at, while in the scoring markets the usual suspects are at the head of the betting.

Erling Haaland is the market leader at 3.40 (first) or 1.61 (anytime), but it’s a clash that City captain Kevin De Bruyne has done well in – scoring 3 times in the last two head-to-heads. He’s on offer at 3.75 (anytime) or 10.00 (first).

Looking at Arsenal’s main men, it’s former City player Gabriel Jesus who is their shortest to score at 3.25 (anytime) or 8.50 (first), with Bukayo Saka 12.00 (first) or 4.50 (anytime).

Overall, it’s a game that will set things up nicely for the big start of the season the following week. A draw at 4.00 might be the value call with both sides having plenty of options, but it’s still hard to get away from City’s top record over the gunners in recent years.

Therefore, the 1.61 on offer on Over 2.5 Goals is the way we are going to play this one.

BEST BET: OVER 2.5 GOALS @ 1.66