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Arsenal reporter at Principality StadiumPublished9 minutes ago4 CommentsArsenal's transfer window has been dominated by talk of signing a new forward but Christos Tzolis has shown that the Gunners already have an attacker they can get excited about. The £34m summer signing from Club Brugge produced two assists as the Gunners beat Manchester City 3-0 to win the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium and his performance will have fans extremely excited.The Greece international has been one of Arsenal's standout performers across pre-season and continued that form against Manchester City on the left wing.His headed assist for Kai Havertz was weighted to perfection while his pass for Martin Odegaard's goal to put Arsenal three-up came at the end of a quick dribble.Tzolis became the first player to assist two goals in a Community Shield since David Beckham in 1996 and the winger has shown his ability to provide for his team-mates already this pre-season.He was already known for his ability to take a quality set-piece and in a side where corners and free-kicks are a fundamental part of their identity, Tzolis displayed he will be a key taker alongside Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.Tzolis provided two assists in pre-season against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund while he got on the scoresheet himself against Girona in the build up to this match.But it has not always been an easy journey for the 24-year-old to the elite levels of the game.Arsenal cruise to Community Shield win against disappointing Man CityOdegaard's importance, Anderson and Foden struggle - how the players ratedBut before that there had been struggles, notably during his three years at Norwich, scoring just three times in 30 appearances between 2021-2024.He impressed while on loan at German second-tier side Fortuna Dusseldorf in 2023-24, where he scored 24 goals in 35 games before he left Norwich for Club Brugge and became one of star players in the division.Since then he has not looked back and Tzolis has developed to become one of the most reliable creators in Europe.Alongside his two assists, he played more passes into the final third than anyone else in the Gunners team in Cardiff and, despite lacking noticeable pace, Tzolis is extremely effective while on the ball with his work-rate appreciated by manager Mikel Arteta.Tzolis has replaced Leandro Trossard, who joined Besiktas in July, and Arteta has said there are similarities between the pair.Trossard recorded more goal involvements in last season's Champions League, but the Greece international produced almost twice as many chances (13 compared to seven) and completed more passes in the final third (138 compared to 80).Tzolis' performance will not be a surprise for those who have followed his career as he has proved he can shine against Europe's top sides already.In last season's Champions League he scored against Atalanta and Atletico Madrid, while registering an assist against Barcelona.Of the 135 chances he created in the Belgian Pro League across the 2025-26 campaign, 52 came from dead-ball situations (38.5%), with his assist for Piero Hincapie against Real Betis during pre-season via a corner.What has been noticeable during this pre-season is how naturally Tzolis has slotted into the Arsenal attack."I think he's coming into the team really organically," Arteta said."He's fit in, he's a really intelligent boy and he has a massive quality which is when he's in the last 20-30 metres he's so composed to pick people in and around the box, or to finish actions."First impressions count and Tzolis made a significant one in Cardiff with the feeling that operating within the quality of Arsenal's squad, with a higher level of talent around him, can help him improve further."That's a natural quality" Arteta added, of the winger's decision-making."He has better players around him, you put him in more and more situations so the volume is higher with the level of quality that he has, the numbers will be higher,"He's so eager to learn, to improve, to practise and it's not a coincidence, he's a really consistent player in everything that he does and I'm really impressed with him."Latest Arsenal news, analysis and fan viewsAsk our team about Arsenal's transfer business

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Additions of Guimarães and Tzolis, plus re-emergence of Ødegaard, mean champions start clear favourites after Community Shield winIf this was a glimpse of the Premier League’s new order then the rest had better watch out. By the time Martin Ødegaard sat Gianluigi Donnarumma down to make it 3-0 to the champions, the Arsenal party was in full swing. “Can we play you every week?” their supporters gleefully taunted their counterparts in sky blue.Those in red and white who had made the journey to south Wales could barely believe what they were watching, even if winning the Community Shield is unlikely to spark the same kind of celebrations that were seen on the streets of north London in May after ending a 22-year wait to win the title. Having been forced to settle for three successive second-place finishes before finally reaching the summit, this time it was Manchester City’s fans who had to face the reality of being humbled by their closest rivals. As Viktor Gyökeres had put it beforehand: “Against City? In a friendly? We want to win.” That much was clear from the opening whistle at the Principality Stadium.It was fitting that the first match of the post-Pep Guardiola era should pit two of his former assistants and pretenders to his crown against each other. On this evidence Mikel Arteta’s powerful Arsenal squad, which looks deeper than this time last year after the additions of Bruno Guimarães and Christos Tzolis, will head into the new season as clear favourites to defend their crown after blowing away Enzo Maresca’s City in the space of 48 minutes.The Italian had barely taken his seat in the dugout for his first meaningful match since replacing Guardiola when his new side found themselves trailing. Myles Lewis-Skelly was a major factor in Arsenal finally getting over the line in May after being brought into the midfield engine room for the run-in when Martín Zubimendi had run out of gas. The teenager needed little more than 20 seconds to remind Thomas Tuchel what England were missing this summer with his brilliant pass for Riccardo Calafiori’s opener.Lewis-Skelly doesn’t turn 20 until next month but already looks a match physically for most – including City’s £116m new signing, Elliot Anderson. Lewis-Skelly’s future has been the subject of speculation this week, with reports that he had been offered to Manchester United and Chelsea. But after dominating Anderson and the veteran Mateo Kovacic in partnership with the outstanding Guimarães, Arteta will surely not allow him to depart in the next fortnight.As for Guimarães, one typically aggressive challenge from the Brazil midfielder to dispossess Phil Foden was all it took for Arsenal’s supporters to fall in love. The chants of “Bruno, Bruno” only amplified when he sprayed a crossfield pass perfectly into the path of Noni Madueke and City will have been relieved to see the back of him at half-time.By then, Kai Havertz had already made it 2-0 after a beautifully crafted goal involving Ødegaard and Tzolis, and City were hanging on for dear life. Seeing Declan Rice emerge for the second half was another reminder of Arsenal’s plethora of options, although the wisdom of Bukayo Saka returning so soon after England’s World Cup exploits remains to be seen in the long term. “He said it’s not done,” sang the Arsenal fans in reference to Rice’s post-match team talk at the Etihad Stadium after they were beaten in March, when he was introduced.The re-emergence of Ødegaard as an attacking force is yet another reason for Arsenal to feel optimistic. The captain’s campaign was severely hampered by injury last season but, after excelling for Norway at the World Cup, he was at the heart of Arsenal’s best moves and capped an excellent performance with a cool finish to round off the scoring. That was also greeted with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” directed towards Maresca, who was seen deep in conversation with his players and staff at the full-time whistle.With Rodri set to depart for Barcelona, recruiting at least one more central midfielder to partner Anderson must be a priority. Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi would provide youthful energy, although given Arsenal’s strength in that department more experience will be required if they are going to mount a serious title challenge. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández may fit the bill.There was a brief moment last autumn when Maresca’s former side looked most capable of challenging Arsenal before his squabbles with the hierarchy brought an end to the Italian’s tenure. It will take some time to make his imprint on a squad that was so heavily devoted to Guardiola, although Arteta said this week that he believes his newest rival has “the personality, the character and, especially, the knowledge” to be successful. For the Arsenal manager, the question is now whether he can build a legacy that could one day rival Guardiola’s. This was a good way to start.

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3 CommentsJack Grealish made a somewhat unexpected return to the Manchester City team on Sunday - so what could his future hold?Grealish's career with the club seemed finished when he spent last season on loan at Everton, but they did not make the move permanent.The 30-year-old, who did not feature for City in pre-season, came on at half-time in their 3-0 Community Shield defeat by Arsenal in Cardiff."Overall, Jack was good," said new boss Enzo Maresca afterwards."The ones that are still here, they are going to work every day, and if they deserve it they are going to get minutes."The transfer window is open and we will see what happens."Grealish had been left out of the squad for the team's tour to Asia earlier this summer, but he said he was recovering from an injury.Could Grealish now grasp a City lifeline - or will he be on the move?Arsenal cruise to Community Shield win against disappointing Man CityOdegaard's importance, Anderson and Foden struggle - how the players ratedIt was his first appearance for the club since a late substitute appearance against Bournemouth in May 2025, and his 158th game for City overall.He put in a couple of crosses as well as completing 21 of his 24 passes."Looking at him out there now, he's in good nick," said BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin."He has looked good since he's come on."He's not going beyond players, but he's trying to create space and he's actually put a couple of very good crosses in."Manchester City paid £100m to sign Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021.He played regularly in his first two seasons - and helped City win the Treble in 2022-23, including playing in the Champions League final win over Inter Milan.But in the following season he made just 10 starts in the Premier League, with Jeremy Doku taking his place in the team.Grealish hinted at off-field problems, while City's then boss Pep Guardiola said: "He is the same player, he has the same manager and the way we play has not changed."It's just the way he has performed. That's the difference."In 2024-25 he fell out of favour even more and started just seven league games. He was then left out of their Club World Cup squad.The most recent of his 39 England caps came in October 2024.Many felt Guardiola's style of play had taken the magic out of the maverick's game.A loan spell followed at Everton last season and it started in fantastic fashion under David Moyes.Grealish won his first Premier League player of the month award in August, after four assists in his opening three league games."It's a big privilege to be given that accolade and I'm pleased for him because everybody knows he's back again," Moyes said."He's come back with the right mindset to produce and he has produced for us. He's made a big difference. It's just the start for Jack."But Grealish did not keep up that form and an unfortunate foot injury in January ended his season prematurely.Grealish has the chance of a fresh start under a new manager at City in Maresca.The Italian did say after Sunday's game that Grealish will get games if he stays and impresses.But it still feels more than likely he will end up leaving."Is Grealish going to be the player to change City and make a difference this season?" asked ex-Scotland winger Nevin on BBC Radio 5 Live."I don't think many people think that's going to happen for Jack at Manchester City, but it's a chance to say to any suitors at all that he's available, he's fit and he does look good."He's done enough for me to think he'll do a job for somebody."Grealish could yet return to Everton. The Toffees opted not to make the deal permanent for City's rumoured valuation of £50m this summer.But with one year left on his supposed £300,000-a-week deal, and with Grealish likely to be a substitute at best, City are surely going to be open to lower or loan offers.BBC Radio Merseyside reporter Giulia Bould said: "Grealish is still someone the Toffees would want to sign again, most likely on another loan, but he will need to have recovered from the foot surgery he underwent in January."Grealish has made no secret he loved playing for the Toffees and his social media bio still has Everton as his club so if all parties can agree a deal then I would expect him to be back."Could he even go back to his boyhood club Aston Villa, who are in the Champions League this season?BBC Radio WM presenter Daz Hale said: "There is a real romance of the return of the prodigal son. You always felt it was written at some point he would come back."He is still a wonderful talent and adds real personality to a football team. He carries the ball really well, and we have lost Morgan Rogers."It is a Champions League season again for Villa, they need to have strength in depth with a deeper talent pool. I think he would be an asset to Villa. You cannot have too many good players."Whether it is this year or next year, I just think it is written in the stars that he will come back."Or could an overseas move for Grealish hold some appeal? Several media outlets claim that Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid are looking at him.The window is open for another fortnight. Grealish must be peering through and wondering what path his career is about to follow.For now, he remains City's player, with just that lingering possibility he could still revive his career at the Etihad.What information do we collect from this quiz?Follow Manchester City on BBC SoundsPre-match, post-match and topical City contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about CityLatest Manchester City news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Man City - what do you want to know?

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Scotland have appointed Sebastien Pocognoli as their new head coach.The 39-year-old, who guided Union Saint-Gilloise to the Belgian league title last year, replaces Steve Clarke on a two-year deal.Pocognoli was a free agent after leaving Monaco in June. During his playing career, he represented West Brom and spent a season on loan at Brighton 10 years ago.Pocogonoli does have some limited experience of international football at youth level, where he managed Belgium's U16 and U18 sides.But this is his first international job - and just his third head coach role in senior men's football.Clarke left the Scotland job after guiding the nation to their first World Cup since 1998. But the Tartan Army were sent home at the group stage after one win from three games.Pocognoli said: "It's an honour to be asked to become the head coach of the Scotland national team."When I first heard of the interest, I was immediately excited about the opportunity. Scotland's supporters are famous for their passion - most recently at the World Cup in the USA - and I have experienced it myself as a player for Belgium when we played in 2013."Along with my coaching staff, I will do everything I can to give them a team to be proud of and build on the success that has been achieved already by my predecessor."Since negotiations began, I have been doing a lot of research, asking a lot of questions and looking at areas that we can build on. I am hugely excited by the prospect and look forward to working with the players to achieve even more success."We don't have long until the first camp, so the coming weeks will be spent preparing for the UEFA Nations League and putting those plans into action on the training pitch when we meet up next month."Pocognoli is familiar to British audiences from his spells at West Brom and Brighton.At the Baggies, the left-back made 21 appearances for the then-Premier League club in two years, before dropping down to the Championship to play on loan at Brighton.Before his time in England, he was part of AZ Alkmaar's title-winning team in the Netherlands in 2009, while he also featured for Belgian clubs Genk and Standard Liege.During a second spell at Liege after leaving England, he won the Belgian Cup in 2018, but retired three years later in his early 30s.His final club Union Saint-Gilloise - owned by Brighton owner and Hearts minority stakeholder Tony Bloom - offered him the Under-21s head coach role at the club.After one season, his first club Genk took him on as Under-18s head coach, while he also worked for Belgium's U16 and U18 youth teams.USG then offered him the head coach role in the summer of 2024, where he guided the Belgian side to their first league title in 90 years.Pocognoli was taken to Scotland during his one season at USG, where his team were beaten 2-1 by Rangers in the Europa League.After winning Belgian Coach of the Year in 2025 and managing USG's first-ever matches in the Champions League, Pocognoli took up the Monaco head coach role in October of last year.Despite qualifying for Europe with Monaco, he was replaced as head coach on June 1.

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Zian Flemming struck twice late on as Burnley came back to deny West Ham in a 2-2 Championship draw between the freshly relegated sides at Turf Moor.West Ham, strong favourites to make an immediate return to the Premier League, looked set for three points when Manor Solomon rifled home in the 72nd minute, doubling the lead given to them by Max Kilman 10 minutes in.But Burnley kept scrapping, and Flemming struck an 83rd-minute penalty before finding the net in stoppage time to give his boss Nicky Hayen a first league point on his 46th birthday, and prevent what would have been their first home Championship defeat since April 2023.West Ham may have lost Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville for big transfer fees since the drop, but have crucially kept Jarrod Bowen and this week broke the Championship transfer record with a £22m deal for Arne Engels to underline their promotion credentials.It was too soon for Engels to be involved here but for much of the afternoon Nuno Espirito Santo's side looked to have the edge in quality against a Burnley team who too often made the wrong decision and wasted first-half opportunities.There was less than a minute gone when Flemming flicked over from Jacob Bruun Larsen's cross, but it was a false dawn for Burnley as West Ham scored from their first real chance.Kilman took advantage of poor defending, easily peeling away from Aaron Ramsey to head in Bowen's free-kick for his first goal in 68 West Ham appearances.With former manager David Moyes watching on, West Ham were bossing possession as a full away end dominated the atmosphere at Turf Moor, with plenty of bright touches from Solomon - a key part of Leeds' promotion campaign two years ago.Burnley had the momentum at the start of the second half but Flemming had already wasted two excellent chances before he got above Konstantinos Mavropanos to send Marcus Edwards' inswinging cross onto the post, from where it bounced back into the arms of a grateful Mads Hermansen.Flemming's frustration then grew as another effort was cleared off the line by Ollie Scarles from Bruun Larsen's corner.West Ham's first shot of the second half did not come until the 71st minute when Bowen's strike hit his own man in Kilman, but Burnley never fully cleared it and Mohamadou Kante danced down the touchline before his cross was deflected for Solomon to lash home.But Burnley got a lifeline when Scarles scythed down Edwards in the box and Flemming sent Hermansen the wrong way, and two minutes into the seven added on, the ball broke to him following a scramble in the box and he picked out the bottom corner.

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Maximilian Kilman and Manor Solomon pounced in the box to seemingly set West Ham on their way to victory but Flemming ensured the points were shared, scoring first from the spot and then from a corner. Burnley had missed numerous chances but found his golden touch at the right time.Burnley started the game with plenty of question marks above their heads after the belated appointment of Nicky Hayen as head coach and a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market. The Belgian, whose previous experience of coaching in the UK came in the Cymru Premier at Haverfordwest, was celebrating his 46th birthday on Sunday and sent his team out intent on marking the occasion. Released from the desperately defensive football of the Scott Parker era, Burnley were aggressive and progressive in equal measure but were undone by a failure to carry out the basics.Like Burnley, relegation had forced the sale of key players, but keeping Nuno Espírito Santo and Jarrod Bowen felt like significant moments. Having Kilman stay on was less exciting for Hammers fans, with the centre-back highly criticised since his £40m transfer from Wolves two years ago and unable to get in the team for much of last season. Thankfully for him, through a mix of Aaron Ramsey’s inept attempt at marking and Bowen’s delivery, he nodded West Ham into an early lead.West Ham enjoyed more of the ball, as they can expect throughout the campaign, but Burnley were the more threatening. They countered at speed and in numbers but lacked a cutting edge as final balls and clinical finishing were absent, as the two teams mustered a solitary shot on target from seven attempts before the break. At the very least, the Clarets suggested they would be watchable after two seasons of Parker-ball.While Burnley were frenetic, West Ham were more composed, looking to pick their moments. Nuno decided to end another anonymous Pablo Felipe display as he tries to find his level in England, sending on James Ward-Prowse, who spent a forgettable six months on loan at Turf Moor in the second half of last season. The plan was to add an extra body into midfield to stop the Burnley counterattacks but the hosts continued to look dangerous as Flemming went close with three headers, the last hitting the inside of the post.There was little ambition to seek a second for West Ham as they sought to protect the lead rather than add to it, failing to have a shot in the first 25 minutes of the second half. Whether it was the most sensible strategy was debatable as they only maintained their advantage through a mix of good luck and poor decision-making from Burnley. Ollie Scarles was in the perfect position on the line to head clear another Flemming effort as the Burnley pressure and frustration grew with equal measure.After few glimpses of quality, West Ham showed some class through Mohamadou Kanté, who made light work of Marcus Edwards on the wing before finding Solomon to smash home from close range, undoing all of Burnley’s good work in one strike of the ball.Scarles opened up the chance for Burnley to get back into the game, scything down Edwards crudely in the area. Flemming, finally, made no mistake, setting up a tense finish that concluded with an eruption when he netted the equaliser.

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Rangers' reward for knocking out Premier Sports Cup holders St Mirren is a mouth-watering quarter-final against Old Firm rivals Celtic.Derek McInnes earned his first win as boss with a thumping 5-1 victory on Sunday and will now host Celtic.Stenhousemuir, who stunned Motherwell in extra time, will host last season's Scottish Premiership runners up Hearts.Aberdeen will go to Kilmarnock in an all top-flight tie, while Ross County welcome Hibernian to the Highlands.The games will be played across the weekend of 12-13 September.McInnes' first taste of an Old Firm game as Rangers manager was due to be at Celtic Park on Sunday 20 September but will now be across the city.Kilmarnock were the first team into the last eight after beating Ayrshire rivals Ayr United in a five-goal thriller.Aberdeen overcame Dundee 3-0 at Pittodrie on Saturday, Ross County beat Dunfermline 2-1, while Celtic trounced Dundee United 4-0 at Tannadice.

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Derek McInnes earned his first win as Rangers manager with a dominant 5-1 victory over holders St Mirren to advance to the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup.Ryan Naderi - who was picked in front of captain Lawrence Shankland to lead the line - opened the scoring with his first goal since April before summer signing Vanja Dragojevic produced a stunning long-range volley to net his first in Rangers colours.Chris Mochrie replied with a spectacular strike of his own on the half hour mark but the visitors were eventually outclassed in the second period.New signing James Penrice cleverly teed up Djeidi Gassama for the third before marking an impressive debut with a goal of his own in the 54th minute.The Buddies' misery was then compounded when substitute Ross McCausland scored on his first Rangers appearance in 16 months - shortly after stopper Ivor Pandur had denied Killian Philipps from the penalty spot.Elsewhere, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian safely progressed while Stenhousemuir pulled off an unlikely upset to knock out last year's semi-finalists Motherwell.Euan O'Reilly's dramatic extra-time winner earned the Scottish Championship outfit a place in the last eight as Marvin Bartley extended his winning start as Warriors' boss to seven matches.Got Sky? Watch the Scottish Prem on your phoneAt Tynecastle, Wouter Vrancken's side survived a scare from second-tier Inverness Caledonian Thistle - coming from behind to score four late goals and win 6-2.Christian Borchgrevink, Rogers Mato, James Wilson and Claudio Braga were all on target with in-form makeshift left-back Calvin Miller bagging a brace.Across the city, David Gray's side were also able to edge out Championship opposition as Owen Elding's first-half strike proved decisive against Partick Thistle.They will be joined in the quarter-final draw by Aberdeen, Celtic, Kilmarnock and Ross County.

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Al-Nassr and Portugal forward expects to retire soonRonaldo has more than 950 goals for club and countryCristiano Ronaldo believes this year is “probably” his last as a professional footballer, the 41-year-old Portugal captain said in an interview with Vogue magazine published on Sunday.Ronaldo, who has established his place among football’s all-time greats with more than 950 goals for club and country, had previously spoken of retiring “soon” or within “one or two years”.“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” the Al-Nassr forward told Vogue, saying his future after football was “all mapped out”.“I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard,” he said, listing travel and padel among his favourite activities. “Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.”Ronaldo married his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, in an intimate ceremony in the Portuguese resort of Cascais on Tuesday. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player told Vogue he wanted to “continue to enjoy what I’ve earned – what we’ve earned. Because after all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice.”After being part of the Portugal side which reached the last 16 of the World Cup this summer, Ronaldo is due to link up with Al-Nassr for the new Saudi Pro League season.

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Cristiano Ronaldo says this season is likely to be his last as a player after a glittering career.The 41-year-old married his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, on Tuesday and is contemplating a future orientated around his family.A five-time Ballon d'Or and five-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia and is the all-time top goalscorer in men's international football.The Portugal captain has spent almost four years at Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr, where he has one year remaining on his contract."This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," Ronaldo told Vogue in an interview about his wedding."I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one."Have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I've earned - what we've earned."Because after all it's been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice."Ronaldo is 24 goals away from scoring 1,000 senior career goals.His long-time rival Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or accolade a record eight times, recently also said he was unsure how much longer he would continue playing football.The players' respective World Cup campaigns could hardly have looked more different as Messi scored eight goals and led Argentina all the way to the final, while Ronaldo's Portugal bowed out in the round of 16.Asked in July whether his sixth World Cup would be his last, Ronaldo said he would decide "with a calm head" in a conversation with his family.Al-Nassr opened their Saudi Pro League title defence against Al Fateh on Saturday and Ronaldo did not play, but he watched the champions win from the stands with his family.Cristiano Ronaldo: Football's first billionaire playerListen on SoundsCristiano Ronaldo grew up in poverty on the remote island of Madeira, but became football's first billionaire player, and one of the most recognisable people on the planet.Are fans now more invested in star names than clubs?

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Title-holders Arsenal delivered a statement performance in the Community Shield, thumping Man City 3-0 in Cardiff to send out a warning to all of their Premier League rivals.The Gunners shocked City and their new boss Enzo Maresca with just 23 seconds on the clock when Myles Lewis-Skelly's sublime pass teed up Riccardo Calafiori to coolly convert the opener. The post-Pep Guardiola era couldn't have got off to a worse start for City.Arsenal's £34m summer signing Christos Tzolis then made the next two, heading across goal for Kai Havertz to force the second through Gianluigi Donnarumma before finding captain Martin Odegaard to tuck in a third just three minutes after half-time at the Principality Stadium.Donnarumma was sat down by Odegaard for that goal and it summed up his poor performance behind a City defence which looked all over the place. They had needed Josko Gvardiol to clear Odegaard's effort off the line just before half-time when Donnarumma spilt the ball and the returning Bukayo Saka passed up two good chances to add more goals.In contrast, Arsenal's backline, which had been questioned in pre-season after shipping eight goals in four matches, was robust. Their determination to shut City out was summed up when David Raya saved from Erling Haaland, Lewis-Skelly reached the rebound and then Ben White threw himself in front of a Jeremy Doku shot.Christos Tzolis is the first Arsenal player to assist two or more goals on his debut for the club since Willian in September 2020.Erling Haaland and £116m Elliot Anderson were withdrawn after underwhelming and the absence of Barcelona target Rodri was impossible to ignore. Yet, as Maresca searches for the right formula after City's decade of success under Guardiola, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are primed to capitalise on their position of strength.Arsenal started Myles Lewis-Skelly, with the midfielder seemingly part of Mikel Arteta's plans after links away, but Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri weren't involved.Man City left Savinho out of their squad, amid interest from Spurs in the winger, while Barcelona target Rodri was also absent after just returning from his World Cup break and a back treatment. Jack Grealish came on as a second half sub for his first City appearance since May 2025.The last team to win the Community Shield and then win the Premier League title was Man City in 2018/19 when they landed a domestic treble. Subsequent success from winning this curtain-raiser is no guarantee but Sunday's victory looks like a launchpad for Arsenal as they go in search of back-to-back top-flight crowns for the first time in 91 years.Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contract1: GOAL! Arsenal score inside 30 seconds, with Myles Lewis-Skelly jabbing the ball through for Riccardo Calafiori to coolly finish.20: SAVE! David Raya gets down to keep out Phil Foden's shot from the edge of the box.28: GOAL! Martin Odegaard clips the ball to the back post where Christos Tzolis nods it across goal for Kai Havertz to head through Gianluigi Donnarumma.36: MISS! Jeremy Doku threads a pass for Erling Haaland but he skews his right-foot shot well off target.38: YELLOW! Calafiori goes down in the box looking for a penalty from Abdukodir Khusanov's challenge but is booked for simulation.40: SAVE! Raya parries Haaland's shot and Lewis-Skelly scrambles away the loose ball - but then Ben White has to block Doku's shot when Antoine Semenyo crosses.43: CLOSE! White crosses for Calafiori to hit a volley but his effort goes wide.45+1: OFF THE LINE! Josko Gvardiol scrambles the ball out of the City goalmouth after Martin Odegaard flicked the ball towards the net from a Donnarumma spill.Half-Time: SUBS! Jack Grealish came on for his first Man City appearance since May 2025. Declan Rice also made his return to action for Arsenal.48: GOAL! Martin Odegaard sits down Donnarumma and then prods in an Arsenal third from Tzolis' pass.The past three Community Shields have been decided on penalties - Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Manchester City is the biggest margin of victory in a Community Shield game since 2014, when the Gunners beat the same opponent by the exact same scoreline.63: CHANCE! Great play from Odegaard and then Declan Rice as they work the ball to Bukayo Saka but his shot is wide of the near post.80: OVER! Saka skies another good chance from Piero Hincapie's low ball.81: SAVE! Raya is sharp to push away Semenyo's drive.Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to TNT Sports:"We wanted to start here with the first trophy. We played some brilliant football so it was a great performance, a great way to start the season so let's keep it going. It was good for everyone to see our level. We showed that we're ready, we're serious, we want to do it again and there's more trophies to go. We're well prepared and ready to go."

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3 CommentsByAlex HowellFootball reporter at Principality StadiumArsenal dominated Manchester City as they beat Enzo Maresca's side 3-0 in the Community Shield in the Principality Stadium.Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring inside 30 seconds for the Premier League champions before Kai Havertz added a second with a close range header.Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard then wrapped up the win with a clever finish just three minutes after the break.Here's how the players rated as the first piece of silverware of the season was lifted.Strong favourites or tougher task - will Arsenal defend their title?Arsenal starting XIDavid Raya: A good save from Phil Foden and an excellent take from a corner in the first half. The Arsenal keeper is so good on the ball and played one memorable pass to Christos Tzolis to spark a counter-attack. 7Ben White: It goes under the radar how valuable a fit Ben White is to Arsenal. He's an experienced member of this team and dealt with the threat of Jeremy Doku while providing back up to Noni Madueke in attack. He produced a massive block to deny Doku when the winger was well placed to shoot in the second half. 7Cristhian Mosquera: A good recovery run and pass back to Raya when under pressure from Erling Haaland. Looked comfortable all game. 7Gabriel Magalhaes: Produced a big block as Doku tried to cross the ball. Gabriel celebrated it towards the winger and with the rest of the Arsenal back four. Kept Haaland extremely quiet. 8Riccardo Calafiori: The Italy international scored the opener with the first meaningful attack of the match. The left-back is so important to how Arsenal attack and his ability to roam all over the pitch makes him so unpredictable. Could be set for a huge season. 8Myles Lewis-Skelly: Continued his excellent pre-season form as he slid Calafiori through to score the opening goal and set the tone for the match. Broke up play and produced a mature performance to make any thought of him leaving the club more difficult. 8Bruno Guimaraes: Looked like he is exactly the plug and play option that Arsenal wanted. The Brazilian was always available to take the ball and looked play forward quickly when he got it. Taken off at half-time. 7Martin Odegaard: The Arsenal captain has shown that he is back to full fitness this pre-season and displayed in this game why he is so important to Arsenal. It felt like Odegaard played a lot more forward passes during this match than he tried last season and it was his curling ball that led to Arsenal's second goal. Scored Arsenal's third with a clever finish. 9Noni Madueke: Some bright moments and his pace offers Arsenal a constant threat down the wing but still occasions when he could have done better with his final ball. 6Christos Tzolis: A great start in his first competitive game for Arsenal. The winger recorded two assists in this comfortable win and looks a bright addition to the Gunners attack. 8Kai Havertz: Led the line and provided Arsenal their focal point. The Gunners look better with him in attack and the German scored the second of the game. 7Declan Rice: Came on at half-time in his first minutes since returning from the World Cup with England. Looked very comfortable as Arsenal continued to dominate. 7Bukayo Saka: One bright burst down the wing but shot from a narrow angle with team-mates well placed. 6Piero Hincapie: A reliable option for Arsenal and an extremely aggressive defender. Picked up where Calafiori left off. 7Viktor Gyokeres: Introduced with 15 minutes to play when the game was already won. 6Martin Zubimendi: The Spain international replaced Myles Lewis-Skelly as Mikel Arteta showed the incredible depth he has at his disposal in this squad. 6Eberechi Eze: Brought on in the closing moments with not much time to make an impact. 6 How important is Community Shield to a team's season?Abdukodir Khusanov: A solid defender but two of the Arsenal goals were created down his side. 6Ruben Dias: Was troubled in the air by Kai Havertz and part of a City backline that conceded three goals. 6Josko Gvardiol: Drifted into midfield when he could to try and receive the ball but like his team-mates was part of a back four that never looked settled. 6Nico O'Reilly: The England left-back was taken off for Marc Guehi under 10 minutes into the second half. He tried to link with Doku but the partnership never got going. 6Mateo Kovacic: Named alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield but was completely overrun and dominated by the excellent Arsenal trio on the opposite side. 6Elliot Anderson: Not a good day for the England international in the heart of City's midfield. Still settling at his new club and building up match fitness after the World Cup. 5 Phil Foden: The number 10 struggled to make anything happen for his side going forward and was taken off in the second half. 5 Antoine Semenyo: A hard-working performance from Semenyo but one that lacked his usual quality. He was kept quiet by Calafiori before Hincapie came on to finish the job. 6Jeremy Doku: A poor performance by the Belgian's standards and he was taken off at half-time. 5Erling Haaland: A surprisingly quiet game from Haaland who only registered one shot on target before being taken off when City were 3-0 down. 5Jack Grealish: Introduced on the left wing in place of Jeremy Doku. Grealish had a couple of moments which could have resulted in a City chance but unfortunately for him, nothing came off. 6Marc Guehi: One smart recovery tackle after being brought on. 6Omar Marmoush: The forward replaced Haaland and always looked to run in behind the Arsenal defence but was kept quiet. 6Rayan Cherki: The Frenchman was brought on as part of a flurry of changes but had minimal impact. Forced Raya into a smart save. 6Rico Lewis: Brought on in midfield with the game already lost. Lewis always comfortable in possession but not much he could do in this match. 5Nico Gonzalez: Played the final 10 minutes of the match as it drifted to a close. 5Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone