Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. — Arsenal’s domestic season ended on the first day of August with the FA Cup final victory against Chelsea,

It kicks back into action at the end of the same month as they meet English champions Liverpool in the Community Shield at Wembley today.

Kick-off is at 5:30pm.

This remarkably swift turnaround, enforced after the three-month hiatus during last season as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, represents a unique challenge to pre-season preparations for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp.

It does, however, allow Arsenal and Liverpool to enjoy the lingering afterglow of two sparkling successes as they claimed the major domestic prizes in the FA Cup and Premier League.

Wembley, as with the FA Cup final, will be without fans but the Community Shield still offers the opportunity to put down an early marker for the start of the Premier League season, which starts on Saturday, 12 September.

Two different types of triumphs for Arsenal and Liverpool led to this traditional curtain-raiser, although it remains to be seen how strong each side will be today, given the curtailed run-up to the new campaign.

Liverpool’s English Premier League success, their first title for 30 years, was the result of moving brilliantly through the gears over several seasons under Klopp.

The Champions League triumph against Tottenham in 2019, having lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 final, was the catalyst for an unquenchable thirst to end that title wait after missing out on the 2018-19 Premier League to Manchester City by one point, losing just one game to the eventual champions.

Liverpool’s Premier League title was a procession from the turn of the year onwards, won with seven games left and with a final margin of 18 points, despite the inevitable levelling off after the victory was confirmed.

Arsenal’s success was built in a different manner, the record 14th FA Cup triumph against Chelsea on August 1 coming after a season of turbulence with Arteta thrust into his first managerial job at this footballing superpower following the December sacking of Unai Emery.

It was fuelled by the brilliance of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored twice in the semi-final win over Manchester City and repeated the feat in the final.

The mood around Arsenal, in the football context, is increasingly buoyant. However, they were criticised over the decision to make 55 staff redundant while handing a huge pay packet to lure 32-year-midfielder Willian from Chelsea, as well as offering a reported £250 000 per week to tempt Aubameyang into signing a new deal.

— BBC Sport.