It’s still early August, the Ashes have only just got underway, but club football returns to our lives this weekend. Football is a 365-day sport, the seasons are all merging into one even without a European Championships or Men’s World Cup this summer.
The Community Shield, the traditional curtain raiser for a new season of English football, takes place this Sunday as Champions League winners and Premier League runners-up Liverpool take on Pep Guardiola’s double-winning Manchester City.
The two teams were split by just one point at the top of the Premier League last season. It was an astonishing top-of-the-table duel.
Dropped points were extremely rare, the defences were solid, the attacks were unstoppable. Another season like that, and it could quickly develop into one of modern football’s biggest rivalries.
As the two betting favourites for the 2019/20 Premier League title, the Community Shield could set the tone for the upcoming campaign.
Of course, with preseason preparation not yet complete and some big names set to miss out, this may well end up as little more than a glorified friendly (as even a few of those see silverware handed out at the end now).
Sergio Aguero, Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Jesus only returned to Manchester City training this week.
All three were in Copa America action, and it seems likely that Guardiola will give them a bit more time to get back up to speed. Raheem Sterling should get the nod to start down the middle.
Sterling is coming off a brilliant campaign – only five Premier League players scored more goals than him. The England international is 7/4 to find the net against his former club this weekend.
For those that fancy Sterling to take another leap forward this term, his 16/1 price to win the Golden Boot in 888sport’s Premier League odds could be of interest.
Liverpool have more potential absentees. Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are back in training – Salah and Firmino played some friendly minutes on Wednesday – but Sadio Mane isn’t expected back until next week.
There’s uncertainty over Salah and Firmino, which could see Divock Origi and Harry Wilson start in the front three. Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita are fully fit, though it remains to be seen if they are given the start on Sunday.
Preseason form doesn’t really tell us anything. Manchester City have looked brilliant, and Liverpool have been less impressive. For those that want to read into that, the 9/10 on City to win in 90 minutes will certainly be popular.
Predicting this result isn’t easy, particularly with so much uncertainty about the teams. It won’t be played with the intensity of their Premier League matches last season, that’s the one thing we can be sure of.
Yellow cards in midfield are probable, with both teams looking to transition quickly and break through their opponent’s press.
Fabinho, who was cautioned six times in 21 Premier League starts in 2018/19, is a strong candidate to get booked – the former Monaco man is 11/5 to get shown a yellow.
Even without Aguero – who is playing himself towards a place in the greatest ever Premier League XI – City have an attack that can trouble Liverpool.
Unless Liverpool can replicate their supreme defence of last season, Guardiola’s side to score over 1.5 at 17/20 is a very good price. Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva are all fully fit.
City, despite Aguero and Jesus lacking match fitness and with Leroy Sane’s future uncertain, have sufficient depth to field a fearsome frontline – something Liverpool cannot do.
It’s hard to look past a City victory this weekend. That’s not a sign of what’s to come this season.
The Community Shield, particularly when played after international tournaments, doesn’t mean much, it’s a one-off match between two teams who have set their schedule up to be ready to go on the 9th and 10th of August, not the 2nd.
TIP: Manchester City to win & both teams to score (27/10)
CORRECT SCORE: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City (7/1)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
