The prelude to any Premier League season is always the FA Community Shield.
An annual fixture which pits the top-flight winners against the FA Cup holders, it is the first chance for a team to lift silverware in 2026-27.
So this year it is champions Arsenal vs Manchester City, with the match being held at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium instead of Wembley.
How will Enzo Maresca’s debut in English football’s biggest current fixture pan out? All questions will be answered on Sunday afternoon.
But first, check out our full preview for Arsenal vs Manchester City, complete with the latest football odds from the NetBet Sport platform.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Preview
Last season was all about the rivalry between Arsenal and Man City.
The two teams battled fiercely for the Premier League title, with the Gunners eventually prevailing.
Mikel Arteta’s men failed to beat City in 2025-26, losing 2-0 in the EFL Cup final and 2-1 at the Etihad, but still ended the long wait for Premier League glory.
The focus now will be achieving more success, though Arsenal’s pre-season campaign has been something of a mixed bag.
A 4-1 win over Girona was followed by back-to-back defeats vs Real Betis (1-3) and Borussia Dortmund (2-3), before Wednesday night’s victory on penalties vs FC Como after a 1-1 draw.
Man City’s pre-season kicked off with a penalty shootout loss to Inter Milan following a 1-1 draw.
But Maresca’s men then reeled off consecutive 3-1 wins over K League All-Stars and Atletico Madrid.
In terms of summer arrivals featuring in the Community Shield, Christos Tzolis looks set to start for Arsenal after completing a full pre-season, while Bruno Guimaraes could feature from the off after appearing from the bench at half-time vs Como.
Elliot Anderson is in line to make his City debut here, though the England star’s lack of minutes following an extended summer break – due to World Cup 2026 – means he is unlikely to be named in the starting XI.
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland also may have minutes restricted after their very recent returns to first-team training.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are slight favourites to claim the victory in Cardiff, priced at 2.41. A win for Manchester City is at odds of 2.52, while the draw after 90 minutes is 3.14.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Betting Tips
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.65
This BTTS pick has been a recurring theme in each team’s pre-season campaigns. The bet landed in all four of Arsenal’s warm-up matches, as well as all three of City’s. Furthermore, both teams found the back of the net in four of the last five editions of this fixture.
Player to score or assist – Antoine Semenyo @ 2.43
Semenyo has been on fire for City in pre-season. The Ghanaian winger tallied five assists for Maresca’s men, and looks primed to take the Premier League by storm in 2026-27. Semenyo also has the knack of delivering in big games, having netted the winner vs Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup final.
Player to score or assist – Christos Tzolis @ 1.95
Tzolis has been a standout performer for Arsenal in pre-season following a brilliant 2025-26 with Club Brugge. The Greek winger tallied 22 goals and 29 assists across all competitions last term, serious numbers. And Tzolis recorded one goal and three assists from his first Arsenal outings, another healthy return. The 24-year-old may go down as one of the shrewdest summer signings.
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