Arsenal made a strong start to the new season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield in Cardiff. The result gave Mikel Arteta’s side the first silverware of the campaign and provided several early talking points.
Arsenal Make Early Statement With Silverware
Arsenal wasted no time making their mark, scoring after just 23 seconds — their fastest goal across 668 matches under Mikel Arteta.
The dominant performance delivered an emphatic victory and could prove an early psychological boost ahead of another potentially competitive Premier League title race with Manchester City.
However, history offers some perspective, with only one of the previous 15 Community Shield winners going on to win the league.
Odegaard Returns to His Best
Martin Odegaard produced one of Arsenal’s standout performances, controlling the midfield and scoring the third goal with a composed finish.
The Arsenal captain completed 55 of 58 passes, successfully completed all three of his dribbles and won possession nine times — the most among Arsenal players.
After an injury-hit 2025/26 campaign, Odegaard’s performance will encourage Arteta as the Norwegian looks to return to his best form.
Myles Lewis-Skelly also impressed, creating Arsenal’s opening goal with a clever run and perfectly weighted through-ball to split the City defence.
Tzolis Makes Impressive Full Debut
New Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis immediately caught the eye on the left wing, providing two assists on his full debut.
His performance highlighted the attacking quality that made him such a productive player at Club Brugge. Tzolis recorded 17 goals and 23 assists in 36 games in the Belgian Pro League last season.
While it is still early in his Arsenal career, his Community Shield display suggests his end product could translate well to the Premier League.
Havertz Proves His Big-Game Value
Kai Havertz once again demonstrated why Arteta trusts him in important matches.
The forward’s intelligent link-up play helped Arsenal maintain their attacking threat, while his record against Manchester City underlined his influence. Havertz has been directly involved in seven goals against City during his club career, including four goals and three assists.
His ability to contribute in high-pressure fixtures remains a valuable asset for Arsenal.
Foden Provides Hope for Manchester City
Despite City’s disappointing result, Phil Foden offered one of the brighter moments for the new-look side.
Foden operated in the No. 10 role and appeared to have an important creative responsibility under new manager Enzo Maresca.
The position could signal that Maresca sees Foden as a key player around whom Manchester City can build. After a difficult previous campaign and missing England’s World Cup squad, a central role could provide the midfielder with an opportunity to rediscover his best form.
Arsenal Begin the Season With Confidence
Arsenal’s 3-0 victory provided an early statement of intent, while performances from Odegaard, Tzolis, Havertz and Lewis-Skelly offered plenty of encouragement.
For Manchester City, the Community Shield defeat will be disappointing, but Foden’s performance provides a potential positive as Maresca begins his tenure.