Manchester City faced Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in the traditional season opener – the Community Shield.
City lined up at Wembley in a dazzling retro kit to mark their 125th anniversary and illuminated most of the opening exchanges, with some measured interplay and probing passing.
Liverpool, by contrast seemed reliant upon playing balls into the corners for runners to stretch the play. Early chances came to both sides, Sane planting a shot into the side netting and Salah missing a gilt edged chance.
The pace was much greater than anticipated and quickly the game threw off the shackles of a friendly tag. Arnold clattered into Sane and he limped out of the game in a delightful piece of schadenfreude.
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City snapped back in the best way possible as Sterling opened the scoring after a couple of flicks in the penalty area.
Guardiola was forced into an early substitution and Jesus was introduced for Sane, allowing Sterling to resort to his more accustomed wing role.
City staggered into a marauding style and there were flashes of what we may be capable of in the season ahead. The slick passing and inter changing players seemed to cause Liverpool real difficulty.
It was not a surprise that at this stage of pre season, City were unable to maintain this pace, but the signs were ominous for the rest of the League.
By 30 minutes the intensity in the game had begun to fade. City still probed but were more content to bide their time. De Bruyne was unlucky to be yellow carded for his first challenge in the game.
Liverpool looked better as the pace and intensity subsided, playing for set pieces like a red Bolton. A single goal never looked enough in this match. So Liverpool seemed intent on making the game more even by taking out David Silva.
Worryingly there were signs that the referee, Martin Atkinson, wanted to make the headlines all about him. He ignored Liverpool fouling and booked Guardiola for his protests.
The second half opened in a similar way, with City probing and Liverpool working set pieces. The longer this went on without City really capitalising upon their superiority the more Liverpool looked like snatching something from the game.
Van Dijk had a shot bounce on the goal line but goal line technology deemed the ball did not cross the line. Another overly aggressive Liverpool challenge went unpunished and Sterling saw the ball snatched off his toe as he lined up to shoot.
Ironic cheers sounded when Atkinson actually flagged for a City free kick. Liverpool rotated all of their team and it was like changing the crew of a pirate ship.
It was not altogether a surprise when Liverpool scored from a set piece. A simple tap back across the box and it was easy for Matip to score. The impetus in the game was with Liverpool for the first time. The question was whether City had enough in the tank to exert control again.
De Bruyne went off for Foden and City weathered the storm although tired legs were heavy all over the pitch. Walker made a last ditch goal line clearance and the game went to penalties.
City suffered a penalty defeat in their last final in pre season and so there was limited optimism amongst City fans over a positive result.
However the practice in recent weeks has clearly paid off and Jesus netted the winning penalty. The Liverpool fans will have to console themselves on their long journeys back home to Merseyside and Norway that the Community Shield is not a proper trophy after all.
City look ahead to another season brimming with possibility.