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Arsenal vs Manchester City FA Community Shield Predictions - Omar Marmoush to seal silverware for Man City

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Simon Lewis 2 hours ago

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League winners Arsenal meet FA Cup holders Manchester City in the Community Shield season opener.
Manchester City won the last meeting between the two sides 2-1 at home in the Premier League.
The FA Community Shield clash is at 4pm on 16 August at the Principality Stadium in Wales.

Omar Marmoush scored twice for City against Atletico Madrid (Getty Images).

Arsenal vs Manchester City Predictions

Arsenal are in the Community Shield after winning last season’s Premier League by finishing on 85 points from 26 wins, well ahead of second-placed Man City on 78 points.

Arsenal vs Manchester City Predictions
Head-to-Head
Arsenal Form
Manchester City Form
Arsenal vs Manchester City Team News & Squads

City are the current FA Cup holders after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final thanks to a 78th-minute winner from Antoine Semenyo. City are also the current League Cup holders after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the final back in March.

Arsenal lost in the final of the Champions League on penalties to defending champs PSG.
Arsenal won their last pre-season friendly against Como on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time.
Arsenal have lost 2 of their last 3 pre-season friendlies.
Arsenal’s leading pre-season goalscorers are Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, with 2 goals each.
Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 to win the League Cup back in March 2026.
Manchester City have lost just once to Arsenal in their last 5 meetings.
Manchester City won their last 2 friendlies by 3-1 scorelines.
Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, Divin Mubama and Rayan Ait-Nouri have each scored 2 goals in pre-season friendlies.

Head-to-Head

Manchester City edged Arsenal 2-1 in their latest meeting, while recent clashes have been tight overall, with City winning twice, Arsenal once and two draws across five competitive head-to-head encounters.

Arsenal Form

Mikel Arteta begins the new campaign with strong squad continuity, but there are still a few selection issues to manage. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are not expected to start after their World Cup involvement, which could open the door for Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi. Bruno Guimaraes, a major signing from Newcastle, will also be pushing for minutes, while Christos Tzolis may get an opportunity on the left side of attack.

Defensively, Arsenal have concerns. William Saliba remains a doubt, while Jurrien Timber is unavailable, meaning Cristhian Mosquera and Ben White could be asked to deputise. Arteta has often preferred Kepa Arrizabalaga in cup fixtures, so David Raya may make way in goal.

Arsenal come into the game after a penalty shootout win over Como in their final pre-season match. They also beat Girona and MK Dons during the summer, but suffered defeats against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund.

Martin Odegaard is expected to captain the side from midfield, and with Rice likely to be held back, Arsenal could have a slightly different balance in the engine room. Gabriel Martinelli should keep his place on the left, giving the Gunners pace and directness even if several first-choice players are eased in from the bench.

Manchester City Form

Manchester City begin a new era under Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola’s departure, making this their first competitive test under the new manager.

Big-money signing Elliot Anderson is likely to start on the bench as he continues building towards full fitness, while Josko Gvardiol is expected to feature in defence, possibly at left-back.

Phil Foden should be fresh after a full summer off, but Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku may not be ready to start after late returns from the United States. Omar Marmoush, who scored twice against Atletico Madrid in pre-season, looks the most likely option to lead the line, with Savinho potentially deputising for Doku.

City’s pre-season included wins over Team K League All Stars and Atletico Madrid, along with a draw against Inter Milan.

Rodri should remain central to City’s midfield plans, and his battle against Arsenal’s high press could be important. Maresca is also expected to use inverted fullbacks in possession, offering an early glimpse of how City may evolve tactically after Guardiola.

Arsenal vs Manchester City Team News & Squads

Arsenal (predicted XI): Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie; Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz.

Manchester City (predicted XI): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Kovacic, Gonzalez; Savinho, Foden, Semenyo; Marmoush.

Verdict

Arsenal v Man City

I am backing Man City to win and with both teams to score. I am also backing goals from Kai Havertz to score and Omar Marmoush.

Result

Manchester City to Win

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