Arteta, Guardiola Reacts To Arsenal's Victory Over Man City In The 2023 Community Shield.

Arsenal defeats Manchester City via a penalty shootout after playing a 1-1 draw at full time to win the 2023 Community Shield.

The game at Wembley stadium which serves as a curtain raiser for the new Premier League season began in feisty fashion with both teams pressing high, setting the tone for a frenetic encounter, which eventually saw a highly contested first half end in a goalless draw.

Man City finally broke the deadlock, as they took the lead in the 77th minute through a curling effort from Cole Palmer who was substituted in for Jack Grealish.

The 21-year-old City academy graduate, found himself in space on the right and curled home a stunning effort into the far corner past Aaron Ramsdale.

 

City didn't look threatened, as manager Pep GUARDIOLA also took off Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic, replacing them with Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden. 

But a never-give-up Arsenal side managed to score a well-deserved late equaliser through a Leandro Trossard's deflected strike off Manuel Akanji in the 101 minutes of injury time to take the game to a penalty shootout.

Under the new rules, referees have been instructed to add on more time for any in-game delays in an effort to compensate for time-wasting.

Referee Stuart Atwell initially indicated an additional eight minutes at the end of the game, but it was extended further to 14 minutes due to a clash of heads in that period involving Kyle Walker and Thomas Partey who both required treatment.

The Gunners converted all four of their penalties from Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka and Fabio Viera, with Man City scoring only one and missing two of thiers. 

Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri were the players to miss for City, while Bernardo Siva scored his in-between.

Arsenal's victory over last season's treble winners makes it the third time the Gunners will defeat the Citizens in the Community Shield.

Manager Mikel Arteta ends a run of 8 consecutive defeats against Pep Guardiola to win Arsenal’s 1st trophy of the 2023/24 season.

The North London club becomes the second side with the most Community Shield wins after Man United (21), as the surpass Liverpool (16) to clinch their 17th Community Shield title.

Arsenal's boss Arteta who was booked in the first half by referee Stuart Attwell for protesting a decision, part of the new clampdown on the touchline behaviour of managers, was also a first beneficiary of the new law on timewasting and keeping the ball in play, allowed his side to equalise with 101 minutes on the clock.

Summing up his emotions post-match, the Spaniard said: “I’m extremely happy, proud and relieved at the same time, because it doesn’t get any better than winning at Wembley in front of your fans and playing the best team in the world. Winning it the way we did it, I’m extremely happy.

“It was incredible, obviously in an empty stadium it feels good, but just seeing the happiness in their faces, how they were interacting and connecting with the players is just great.”

Summing up the game, he said: “We had three big chances, and when you don’t [take your chances], they come to the other end, you make a little mistake, and they punish you big time. After that, psychologically, it was really difficult because they are so used to playing the clock down, and managing those moments.

“We discussed that we had six subs today, and they were going to have a big impact and they did – Leo scoring the goals and Fabio scoring the last penalty.

“We’ve done it [taken part in a shootout] three times in pre-season. It was part of the plan to get ready just in case we had to do it today, that it wasn’t the first time to do that, and I think that it paid off.

“The energy is great, the positivity around the place, you feel the happiness around everybody at the club. Let’s enjoy the day and then tomorrow, let’s go back to work because on Saturday, it will be a very different, but very tough match as well.”

Man City's manager Pep Guardiola on the other hand, heavily criticised the officiating changes following Arsenal’s dramatic shootout victory.

After the game, Guardiola expressed his frustration with the new rules: 

"It is not annoying, we have to get used to it. I had the feeling, not because we were winning 1-0, it was just the fact I had a feeling that much didn't happen to extend by eight minutes. But it is a good question for the international board [rule-making body the International Football Association Board] and all the people because they don't consult the managers, they don't consult the players.

"What is their opinion, we have to accept it. Now the games will be 100 minutes, that's for sure. 

"It never happened today and it was eight minutes, imagine if they extend for goals and every time you score a goal in a game [that is] 4-3. You put 30 seconds, 45 seconds on for seven goals, tomorrow morning 9 a.m. I am here playing."

Guardiola and his players would of course liked to have won - City have now lost three consecutive Community Shields. However, they will take solace in the fact that in the seasons following the two previous defeats, they went on to be crowned Premier League champions.