Nightmare Man City start for Maresca - are Arsenal really so far ahead?

After Pep Guardiola's departure, Manchester City made their first competitive appearance since the 10-year tenure ended. In the Community Shield match against Arsenal, the Gunners demonstrated a dominant performance, clinching a 3-0 victory. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard sealed the win. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed surprise at his team's impressive performance, calling it "extremely impressive."

New City manager Enzo Maresca downplayed the significance of the result, stating, "It's a defeat that hurts us, but it's just the beginning." The one-sided nature of the game was evident, with Arsenal taking the lead after just 23 seconds, doubling their advantage by the 23rd minute, and adding a third goal three minutes into the second half. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown commented on the "stunning" gap in the match, highlighting Arsenal's superior performance.

Arsenal's victory extends their trophy haul to 18 Community Shield titles overall, with this win adding to their second trophy in four months. Arsenal's performance has been described as a statement of intent, with Arteta questioning who to pick among his players. City, on the other hand, faced a "schooling" according to former Scotland striker Ally McCoist, and former Newcastle captain Alex Ferguson noted that Arsenal's victory was merely a "stepping stone" to the season ahead.

Arsenal's strong performance resulted in a significantly higher expected goals (xG) total compared to City, with Arsenal creating 2.19 xG versus City's 0.77. The Gunners' success in this match raises questions about their true form and the challenges facing Manchester City under their new manager, Enzo Maresca.