Mikel Arteta believes his players are still “hungry” for trophies, with their painful Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in May providing motivation for this season.
That hunger was on full display on Sunday as Arsenal powered to a 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield, delivering a swaggering statement of intent ahead of their Premier League title defence.
Arteta’s side used the annual curtain-raiser at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to prove their long-awaited title triumph has done nothing to sate their appetite for success.
The Gunners took just 24 seconds to show new City boss Enzo Maresca the standard required, with Riccardo Calafiori finishing a beautifully crafted move after a deft pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly split the defence. The left-back’s goal was the quickest in the competition since 1968.
Kai Havertz doubled the lead before half-time, heading home after Christos Tzolis nodded Martin Odegaard’s cross back into the six-yard box. Odegaard then sealed the win three minutes after the restart, slaloming through the City defence and leaving Gianluigi Donnarumma embarrassed with a clever dummy before slotting home.
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The glamour friendly also allowed Arteta to parade Arsenal’s close-season recruits. Bruno Guimaraes, signed from Newcastle for £75 million, slotted into midfield with ease, while Tzolis, lured from Club Brugge for £34 million, gave a lively display including two assists.
One observer told ESPNFC: “Some really, really good business from them so far in the window and it’s not always easy when you’re the reigning champions. You’re more attractive for players but your standards have gone up. What you’re buying has to not only keep the standard but improve it. With these two signings we’re clearly seeing at the moment that it’s definitely working out. Guimaraes has added aggression and a progressive passer. Then you have Tzolis who is just effective and an efficiency monster, I love how he always looks to hurt the opposition. It’s two great additions and I think they’re going to keep going into the market.”
Arsenal overwhelmed a sloppy City with their trademark intensity. Erling Haaland was largely anonymous and wasted two good chances, while Elliot Anderson struggled to influence the game on his first showpiece occasion for the club. It was a dispiriting wake-up call for Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola after quitting Chelsea and will have noted how much more dynamic and cohesive Arsenal looked.
The north Londoners will start the campaign as champions for the first time since 2004-05 and are already installed as favourites to win successive titles for the first time since the 1930s.
Their vibrant performance was the perfect warm-up before promoted Coventry visit the Emirates Stadium on August 21.
Manchester United remain the most successful club in Community Shield history with 21 titles. Arsenal’s latest triumph takes them to 18, ahead of Liverpool on 16. Everton have nine, while Tottenham and Manchester City each have seven.Chelsea and Wolves sit on four, with Leicester among the two-time winners. Crystal Palace claimed their first in 2025.
