Pep Guardiola 💬

"We won on penalties - you can win; you can lose.

"The hunger is there. For this part of the season, the game was tremendously demanding.

"We had a really good first half but we couldn't control the switch of play - the long balls, the duels.

"At this part of the season, that is normal.

"Nico and Gab played almost 90 minutes after two training sessions! The calendar is crazy.

"I think is was an entertaining game with a lot of chances for both sides. In the last 20 minutes, Liverpool were better but we scored one more penalty."

The team behind the team

Ever thankful for their efforts, Pep Guardiola has gathered the City backroom staff for a photo with the trophy.

🏆💙

Class

As the team enjoy the success with the fans, Raheem Sterling has headed over to the Liverpool fans and is snapping selfies with some young Reds.

Kevin De Bruyne 💬

“It’s always going to be tough. There are going to be moments in the game that we control and moments that they control especially at this stage of the season.

"I think we defended well at times. We could have scored, they could have scored. It was a really open game. 

 “The good thing is that we always play the same system so we know what we have to do in the style we play. Some of the guys just came back two days ago and the rest of us have had a few weeks. 

 “Pre-season these days is more commercial than it is training so I think the month of August is really important to get your fitness up, to get game time. For most of the guys it was their first 90 minutes of the season so it was a really important game in that sense.”

Walker 💬

(On whether Liverpool will be City's main title contenders again):“It's too early to say.

"There are a lot of good teams in this league but hopefully we can be up there or thereabouts in all competitions."

Kyle Walker 💬

"It's the first trophy you can win. For me, growing up the Community Shield was a big one, it starts off the season, we can start our momentum, and hopefully we can replicate what we did last season."

(On the clearance): "I'm a defender, I stop goals, I'm glad I can help the team out this time. They help me out all the time by scoring goals so that one is for them."

Champagne City 🍾

The bubbly comes out and the streamers are released as City celebrate the trophy with the fans.

Trophy time 🏆

City make the iconic and familiar walk up the Wembley steps to collect our trophy.

In the absence of Vincent Kompany (😢), Sergio Aguero and David Silva hoist the Community Shield aloft.

And Hey Jude rings out around the ground...

There we have it

City are the 2019 Community Shield Champions, defending our title with a penalty shoot-out win at Wembley.

Fittingly, Claudio Bravo proved to be the hero, denying Wijnaldum from the spot.

The Chilean shot-stopper was excellent throughout and deserved to end the game on the winning side.

We kick off the 2019/20 campaign the same way we finished the last... lifting a trophy!

Come on, Claudio!

The City shot-stopper receives pats on the back all round, as he makes his way to the goalline.

Coin toss

Liverpool will take the first penalty.

The spot-kicks will be taken at the Liverpool fans' end.

What a game

A thoroughly entertaining, absorbing contest ends level and (perhaps appropriately) will conclude with drama.

City shaded the first half but Liverpool rallied in the second. Could well have won it late on.

Both sides had great chances to win it.

Now, we await the shoot-out. The second time City and Liverpool will go head-to-head from the spot at Wembley in recent years, following our League Cup triumph of 2016.

FULL-TIME

PHEW!

That's that. One goal apiece and we head to penalties...

My word.

That was truly an amazing piece of defending.

DJKSNDSADNLSAND!!!

OFF THE LINE!

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE FROM WALKER!

Salah thinks he's won it, heading over Bravo, but Walker somehow clears the ball away with a sensational overhead kick!!!

Disappointing

Poor goal to concede as Van Dijk collects an attempted clearance at the backpost, and chips the ball into the six-yard box where Matip was waiting to pounce.

ZInc mettle 💪

Two excellent interceptions from Zinchenko in recent minutes. Very alert.

Fantastic challenge

What a tackle from Otamendi, who slides in perfectly to dispossess Salah en route to goal. Expertly-timed.

SECOND HALF

We are back under way.

No changes for City at the break...

*Terrific

Analysis

A pleasing opening 45 for City in what has been an entertaining Community Shield clash.

Pep Guardiola's men dominated the early exchanges, opening the scoring after just 12 minutes with a well-worked set-piece move.

It hasn't all been plain sailing with Leroy Sane forced off through injury and Mo Salah having more sights of goal than we'd have liked... but overall, we've passed the ball around well and played some lovely build-up passages.

Expect changes in the second half, especially with the 'six sub' rule for this competition. Who would you like to see introduced?

Added time

There'll be three additional minutes.

Eeek!

David Silva is down, having been caught by Gomez's high foot. The Spaniard is in some pain and Guardiola is not happy...

Thankfully, El Mago returns to his feet.

You love to see it

Ice cool ❄

Immense composure again from City's back four, playing out from the back beautifully. No hint of panic - just composure and precision.

🔥

Little goalmouth action in recent minutes but things have heated up a little with a couple of niggly fouls.

Raz-zle dazzle! 💥

Raheem Sterling has now either scored (six) or assisted (one) seven goals in his last four games for club and country at Wembley!

Instant entertainment 🍿

Great start to this encounter. Chances for both sides, end-to-end... Really entertaining stuff.

😍😍😍

GET IN THERE!!!

From the free-kick, Walker clips the ball to the backpost where De Bruyne awaits.

The Belgian heads across goal. David Silva flicks on, into the path of Sterling, who calmly slides the ball through Alisson's legs and into the back of the net!!!

Enforced change

Doesn't look good for Leroy. He limps off.

Gabriel Jesus readies himself for action.

Ouch

Sane is down receiving treatment, having landed awkwardly. Looked to have kicked the ground when trying to escape Alexander-Arnold's attentions...

Looks in some pain.

A reminder of our City starting XI 🗒

Tradition 🎤

It's time for the National Anthem. The stadium rises to its feet.

Best fans in the land and all the world 💙

There's a huge Blue Moon banner draped from the third tier of the City end.

A lovely sight - as is our walk-out jacket, which is also part of our 125th anniversary range.

Spine-tingling 🙌

Here we go!

The two teams emerge from the tunnel to an almighty roar from both sets of fans.

The Premier League Champions versus the runners-up. Another tasty encounter awaits...

🌛

Anticipation kicks up a notch as our City choir assemble for a glorious rendition of Blue Moon.

All together now...

🙌🙌🙌

Community Shield: Rule changes 📋

🔹 Both teams may name seven substitutes - six of whom may take part in the match.

🔹 Players being substituted now have to leave the field at the nearest point in an attempt to cut down on time-wasting.

🔹 If the match ends level after 90 minutes, there will be no extra-time and a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner.

🔹 The ball does not have to leave the penalty area from a goal kick.

🔹 Attacking players are also not allowed in a defensive wall from free-kicks when there are three or more defenders, so should an attacking player be less than one metre from the wall when a free kick is taken, they will be penalised and the other team will be rewarded with an indirect free kick.

🔹 VAR will be used.

📺

Jurgen Klopp 💬

“City had a similar situation to us [in pre-season], a lot of players were not involved; it’s still a very good side together, to be honest.

“Aguero is back since this week, a couple of Brazilians – I heard, I don’t know exactly – and Fernandinho are not back yet. They played a good pre-season, I would say, good games – much less than we did, I think only four games, so it’s different.

“But at the end that’s all not important, you have to be ready on Sunday, both of us. And how everybody knows, if you defend not on your highest level it could be difficult, even more difficult.

“Because we are pretty much focused on the ball, it’s not too important who has it. The only difference is, if a City player has the ball, they do a lot of good stuff with it so we have to be spot on, 100 per cent.”

Liverpool team news 🔴

Club Journalist John Edwards 👤

"Pep Guardiola has handed Rodri his competitive debut for the Community Shield clash with Liverpool

"The Spaniard gets his first start on English soil at Wembley, as the manager delivered on his promise to select players who got minutes under their belt in preseason.

"David Silva captains the side, while Nicolas Otamendi starts at centre-back in place of Aymeric Laporte, despite only returning to the CFA this week.

"The remaining South American trio of Ederson, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero are amongst the substitutes, though Riyad Mahrez, who trained for the first time on Friday after winning the African Cup of Nations, is not included in the matchday squad.

"There’s a welcome return to competitive action for Claudio Bravo, who makes his first start since last season’s Community Shield, as City adopt the usual 4-3-3 formation.

"With Laporte missing, the back four is as expected, whilst in midfield Rodri will sit just behind the twin playmaking powers of Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.

"In Aguero and Jesus’ absence, Sterling will play through the middle, with Sane and Bernardo on either flank."

A closer look at City's starting XI... ⬇

TEAM NEWS 📣

Team news 🔜

So, we know those who featured in the Copa America and Africa Cup of Nations are unlikely to start today, with some having only arrived back for training last week.

Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola explained he would utilise those who attended our pre-season Asia Tour, which means we could still see a very experienced City starting XI - Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, etc. all impressed.

Claudio Bravo in particular earned deserved acclaim for his performances and he is expected to take his place between the sticks today.

We could well see our South American and Algerian contingent introduced from the bench at some point, as they'll need minutes ahead of the Premier League opener next weekend.

Who makes your starting line-up? Find out in just under ten minutes...

Have a great day, lads! 💙

Over land and sea! 😮

🤩🤩🤩

Paul Dickov 💬

 “Of course, you want to win.

“I was on the Asia Tour and when you’re in and around the first-team squad at Manchester City now, the desire to win every single game – whether it’s a pre-season friendly or a cup final – is clear.

“They want to win every single game they play and on Sunday they’ll want to put a marker down for the rest of the season.

"The 125th anniversary kit looks amazing. The one thing I love about it is that it has a touch of class, and that’s what City are about at the moment.

“For the Club to have all the success we’re having but still remember everything that happened beforehand in our 125-year history embodies everything I love about the Club.

“In an age where it’s all about sponsorship, it’s good to see a kit like this. There’s a touch of class about it – it’s totally understated. There’s a humility to it and it looks fantastic.”

Numbers game 🔢

🔹 This is the first FA Community Shield meeting between City and Liverpool. The only other meeting between the sides at Wembley Stadium was in the 2016 League Cup final, with City winning 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

🔹 This is the seventh time in the Premier League era a double-winning side has faced the Premier League runners-up in the FA Community Shield. The previous season’s runners-up have won two of the last three (Arsenal v Manchester United in 1999 and Manchester United v Chelsea in 2010).

🔹 This is City’s 12th appearance in the Shield, winning it five times including against Chelsea last year.

🔹 City are unbeaten in our last seven games at Wembley Stadium (W6 D1) since losing to Arsenal in the 2017 Emirates FA Cup semi-final. We’ve only conceded one goal in those seven games, scoring 16.

🔹 Liverpool have won just one of their last five games played at Wembley (D1 L3), though that victory was in their last game at the stadium, 2-1 against Spurs in the Premier League.

Stat attack 📈

Pep Guardiola (on Jurgen Klopp) 💬

“[I respect] many things. He’s a class manager – a top manager.

“His teams are identified well. He’s at top manager, incredible.

“It’s an incredible challenge for me every time I face one of his teams.

“His message is always positive. His behaviour – hugging, smiling – his message is positive.

“It’s good for football. There are some exceptions, but most of the time it is good.

“We won almost every trophy; not all of them. It was quite remarkable.

“Not enough to have our players in the best players in Europe but we know each other better now than in the first season. That’s easier for our job.

“We start from zero now – we start again – but we are ready to accept the challenge.”

👏👏👏

😎

Don't know about you but I jumped out of bed, grabbed my sunglasses and parka coat and absolutely belted this out as I bowled down the stairs this morning...

Rewind ⏪ 2018 Community Shield

🔵🔴