The English champions were severely hampered by the absence of a series of key players due to their late return to pre-season after competing at Euro 2024 and the Copa America.
MANCHESTER City avenged their FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United to lift the Community Shield 7-6 on penalties on Saturday, after a 1-1 draw at Wembley.
The game exploded into life in the final 10 minutes as Alejandro Garnacho gave United the lead before Bernardo Silva levelled in the 89th minute.
Pep Guardiola’s men then edged a marathon shootout as Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans failed to score for United.
City have won the Premier League for a record four consecutive seasons but it is the first time in that run that they have won the season opener after defeats to Leicester, Liverpool and Arsenal in the past three years.
The English champions were severely hampered by the absence of a series of key players due to their late return to pre-season after competing at Euro 2024 and the Copa America.
City’s England trio of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden, as well as Spain midfielder Rodri are yet to return to training following their efforts in reaching the final of Euro 2024.
By contrast, United boss Erik ten Hag showed his desperation to win more silverware by thrusting teenager Kobbie Mainoo straight back into the heart of the action after his starring role for England in Germany.
Despite also leaving Kevin De Bruyne and Silva on the bench, City controlled the game early on with the electric Jeremy Doku causing havoc down the left.
James McAtee could be handed his chance to shine this season by Pep Guardiola with Julian Alvarez set to join Atletico Madrid.
And McAtee, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, was inches away from making his mark with a curling effort that came back off the post midway through the first half.
Ten Hag’s job is widely believed to have been saved by beating City back in May and he will feel his side should have got the better of their rivals once more.
United were being starved of possession but still managed to create the better of the chances.
Amad Diallo should have gone for goal himself rather than trying to square to Bruno Fernandes with the goal gaping as half-time approached.
Fernandes started in an unfamiliar centre-forward role due to the absence of Rasmus Hojlund through injury and a lack of match fitness for Joshua Zirkzee. The United captain thought he had opened the scoring with a stunning strike on the hour mark that was ruled out for offside.
Garnacho was introduced for the final half-hour and brought more pace and invention to the United attack.
The Argentine teed up Marcus Rashford, who could only hit the post with just Ederson to beat.
Garnacho thought he had won the game on 82 minutes as he jinked inside the City defence and fired low into the corner.
However, City rallied and levelled in the final minute of the 90 when Oscar Bobb’s cross was headed in by Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder was then the first to miss in the shootout as his effort was saved by Andre Onana.
Sancho, though, experienced more penalty woe at Wembley after missing in the final of Euro 2020 for England. His spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Ederson, who then fired in himself to keep City alive.
Evans gave City the chance to win it when he blazed over. And it was a tale of redemption for Manuel Akanji, whose saved penalty cost Switzerland in their Euros quarter-final against England, as the centre-back stroked home the winner.
AFP
