Manchester City-Leicester Preview: Community Shield Opens the Season

Manchester City's English midfielder Raheem Sterling (R) controls the ball in front of Leicester City's Ghanaian midfielder Daniel Amartey (L) during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Manchester City at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on April 3, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Michael Regan / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by MICHAEL REGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Manchester City are set to open the 2021/22 campaign at Wembley as the defending Premier League champions will face Leicester City, last season’s FA Cup winners. The traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season has produced some exciting matches in the past, including Man City’s dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win over Liverpool in 2019 following a 1-1 draw.

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In this match, Leicester are projected to field a strong side, despite a crisis in central defense following Wesley Fofana’s long-term leg injury after a horror challenge in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal. This, coupled with the continued absences of Jonny Evans and James Justin, will likely mean star midfielder Wilfried Ndidi will be forced to deputize at the back for the Foxes.

For City, due to a number of players playing extended international summer tournaments, they have been tipped to field a rotated squad. Pep Guardiola has confirmed that new star signing Jack Grealish will have the chance to be involved at some point, but that he will start from the bench.

Overall, while winning this match is not of the utmost importance, it is a trophy that takes on at least some secondary meaning and is the ideal way to begin a new season. For City, winning the Community Shield could be a key stepping stone toward regaining positive momentum to go again after the devastating Champions League Final defeat to Chelsea to end last season.

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Predicted XI: Zack Steffen (GK), João Cancelo (RB), Rúben Dias (CB), Nathan Aké (CB), Benjamin Mendy (LB), Fernandinho (CDM), Tommy Doyle (CM), Oleksandr Zinchenko (CM), Riyad Mahrez (RW), Ferran Torres (ST), Cole Palmer (LW)