Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium on Sunday as Mikel Arteta handed new City boss Enzo Maresca a defeat in his first game in charge. Arsenal opened the scoring after just 23 seconds when Riccardo Calafiori was put through on goal, before they doubled their lead when Gianluigi Donnarumma could not keep out Kai Havertz’s header.
Arsenal Lift Community Shield
Arsenal’s new signing Christos Tzolis then provided a second assist when he set up skipper Martin Odegaard for the third goal three minutes into the second half, with the Premier League champions looking fitter and sharper than City. Maresca’s side showed only flashes of their attacking threat, with Phil Foden and Erling Haaland forcing saves from David Raya, but the Arsenal goalkeeper stood firm to preserve a clean sheet.
Just four months ago, Martin Odegaard lifted Arsenal’s first Premier League crown since 2004 after they finished seven points ahead of second-placed City.
The Norway midfielder believes the dynamic display against City, now managed by Enzo Maresca instead of Pep Guardiola, showed the north Londoners have not lost their hunger for silverware.
“We played some brilliant football. Great performance and a great way to start the season,” he said.
“We showed our level today. We’re showed we’re ready. We’re serious and we want to do it again. We want to attack it. We want to do it again.
“When you get a taste of how nice it is you want to do it again. We want to win everything.”
Installed as the bookmakers’ favourites for a second successive title, Arsenal begin their Premier League charge at home to promoted Coventry on August 21.
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