FA Community Shield Preview: Macnhester City vs United

Every August, the FA Community Shield is played at London’s Wembley Stadium as a “curtain-raiser” before the beginning of the English top-flight season.

The final is played between the previous season’s Premier League winners against the FA Cup winners. As a result, the 2024/25 Community Shield features Premier League champions Manchester City against FA Cup winners Manchester United.

Saturday’s final will be the first Community Shield between the two Manchester teams since 2011.

Community Shield history

Previously known as the FA Charity Shield, the annual game was first introduced in 1908. It stemmed from the Sheriff of London Shield which featured a leading professional club against a leading amateur club.

In the 1911 fixture, Manchester United and Swindon Town played out the highest-scoring game of its kind. United won 8-4 on the day with the money donated to the Lord Mayor of London’s “Titanic” disaster fund.

The name change occurred in 2002 after it was proposed by FA Secretary Ted Croker.

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Manchester City’s form in the final

For the blue side of Manchester, the last time they did not feature in the one-off game was 2020. Taking into account this Community Shield fixture, Pep Guardiola’s side will have featured in six of the last seven games of its kind.

The one season they did not feature was when Liverpool won the league title in the 2019/20 season.

In the six previous encounters for Manchester City, they have only come away with two wins, having lost the other four. The statistic showcases how the game does not showcase exactly how the season will play out.

The eight-time Premier League winners went on to win the league four times after featuring in the Community Shield.

Manchester United

This is the Red Devils’ first time in the Community Shield since 2016 when they defeated Leicester City 2-1.

In United’s last five appearances, they have only managed to lose one time. This came against Chelsea in 2009, losing out on penalties.

The club has a rich history of taking home the trophy, winning it on 21 occasions – more than any other club. They have also featured in it 30 times.

Since Manchester United last won the Community Shield, they have had five different managers – including one as caretaker (Michael Carrick) and one as interim (Ralf Rangnick).

Erik ten Hag will hope to hit the ground running in Saturday’s game and make it three trophies in three years.