The Community Shield has no real bearing on the season ahead, but both teams will want to produce a good performance against the side they have gone toe to toe with for the Premier League title in the past few years.
Liverpool have produced some mixed results in their preseason campaign. The Reds lost 4-0 to Manchester United at the beginning of the campaign, but then went on to win convincingly against Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig. New striker Darwin Nunez notched 4 goals against RB Leipzig, allowing him to showcase his proficiency in front of goal.
This week, they lost 1-0 to RB Salzburg after an impressive goal from 19 year old talent Benjamin Šeško. The Reds dominated the game against the Austrian side but failed to find the back of the net. Although their results have been mixed, Liverpool have now played a large number of games, allowing players to build up rhythm and fitness, which will be crucial for the Community Shield game ahead.
On team news, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that third choice goalkeeper Adrian will start the game, with league cup hero Caoimhin Kelleher sidelined and starter Alisson only just returning to first team training. Star forward Diogo Jota will miss out due to a troubling hamstring injury, as will midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who picked up a hamstring problem during The Reds’ preseason tie against Crystal Palace.
Klopp has hard decisions to make over his attack. He may opt for new striker Darwin Nunez to lead the line, meaning he would make his debut for The Reds on English soil, or he may instead choose Roberto Firmino, who is well accustomed to Liverpool’s system and has looked likely during preseason. It is likely that Luis Diaz will start on the left wing, but young new signing Fabio Carvalho has shone throughout preseason and must have surely impressed the boss with his performances.
Manchester City meanwhile, have had a largely interrupted preseason. They have played only two preseason games compared to Liverpool’s four. Their first game against Club America saw City win 2-1, thanks to an impressive display from world class De Bruyne, who bagged a brace.
Erling Haaland scored his first goal for Man City 12 minutes into a pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich, thanks to an impressive passage of play from Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish. Throughout the match, which was delayed multiple times due to thunderstorms, Jack Grealish and Haaland linked up and created chances, demonstrating that they are beginning to understand each other already. This impressive display would have no doubt given Guardiola food for thought, and it is likely he may pick Grealish to start alongside Haaland. On the back of this clinical finish, it is likely that boss Pep Guardiola will be inclined to give Haaland his debut on English soil for Manchester City.
Impressive new signings Kalvin Philips and Julian Alvarez will most likely make the bench, and may make their debuts for City on English soil if they are needed.
In defence, the Citizens will be without Aymeric Laporte, who had surgery during the summer after battling an injury in the latter part of last season. “It’s his knee,” confirmed Guardiola in his pregame press conference. “He’s doing incredibly well, but you have to be careful. He might be out until September.”
John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden will all likely return to the matchday squad after missing City’s US Preseason tour.
Regardless of the competition, it is always exciting when Liverpool vs Man City meet, with both sides scoring at least twice in the 3 games they played against each other last season.
It is a match not to be missed.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Salah, Firmino, Diaz
Predicted Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Cancelo, Rodri, Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish