2021 FA Community Shield: Manchester City Back Underway
After an eventful summer at the 2020 European Championships and the 2021 Copa América, Manchester City are back underway. The 2021/22 season is here.
More from Man City News
- Rodri believes City can have even more success this season
- Grealish, Stones, and Kovacic will NOT play tomorrow
- After Injury Guardiola is back in Etihad
- Humble Haaland Maintains Low Profile Leading Up to Ballon d’Or 2023
- Khadija Shaw and Erling Haaland nominated for NWF’s player of the season
Manchester City will begin this new campaign on Saturday, 7 August, where they will face Leicester City in the FA Community Shield. (Manchester City won the 2020/21 English Premier League title while Leicester City won the FA Cup.)
While seen as a glorified friendly, the FA Community Shield traditionally marks the start of every new EPL season. Government authorities in the United Kingdom also announced that the coronavirus restrictions would be lifted at Wembley Stadium, thus effectively allowing a full-capacity stadium ahead of this football match.
As a precursor to this event, Manchester City faced Preston North End, Barnsley, and Blackpool in a series preseason friendlies. The Sky Blues won all three of these matches, where they conceded only one goal.
Riyad Mahrez and Samuel Edozie impressed in these matches, where they both scored a goal in all three matches. Given several of Manchester City’s starters are still absent and returning from their respective holidays, one would expect that City manager Pep Guardiola will rely on Mahrez and Edozie in this match.
Meanwhile, Leicester City’s preseason matches were against Burton Albion, Wycombe Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, and Villareal. Unlike City, the Foxes had mixed preseason results. Leicester lost to Burton on penalties and then lost 1-0 to Wycombe. The Foxes then drew with QPR before winning their final preseason match against Villareal. While these were nothing more than preseason matches, as several of Leicester’s starters were absent as well, this will not be the start the Foxes would like before the FA Community Shield match.
To add to these concerns, Leicester City lost Wesley Fofana to a freak accident in the friendly match against Villareal. During the game, Villareal’s Fernando Niño made a reckless tackle on Fofana. Fofana was stretched off during the match, and it was later announced that he had broken his leg. Man City Square wish him a healthy and quick recovery.
Next. Official: Barcelona confirm Lionel Messi departure. dark
Overall, nothing should be taken from these preseason friendlies, and both Manchester City and Leicester City will have one eye on their opening EPL matches next week. How will these two sides fare in the 2021 FA Community Shield?