Venue: Villa Park
Date: Sunday, 12 August
Kick-off: 13:30 BST
Finally, we’re at the end of the Olympics (or will be later) and our final game of pre-season – or new season curtain raiser, depending on how you view it – sees us take on Man City in the Community Shield.
City of course, played in last year’s although lost out to the then Premier League Champions, United before robbing them of the title in just about the last minute of the season. This season though, they face the Champions of Europe – although I’m sure they’ll be happy not to face Didier Drogba in their first competitive game.
MANAGERS’ VIEWS
In his first season as our official manager, ahead of today’s Community Shield, Roberto Di Matteo says
“We are going to try and win the trophies we’re involved in. It takes a collective effort to achieve that. You have to be able to work with everybody and everybody has to try and give their best – even if they’re sometimes out of the team for a while. It is always nice to be involved in the Community Shield and to compete for a piece of silverware in the very first game of the campaign. Now the players are ready to go for the season ahead and this is obviously a great game to begin with – a showpiece match between two clubs who will want to challenge for trophies again this season.”
City’s Roberto Mancini meanwhile, says “For sure (they will be more of a threat). They have bought young players and also good players. If in the end we win the Premier League it is better we lose against Chelsea. But it is important that we try to win because we have not won this cup for a long time and we want to start the season with a victory. We know it will not be easy. Chelsea are a strong team.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, new man Marko Marin (hamstring) misses out although we have no other injury concerns.
For City, Gareth Barry (stomach) and Micah Richards (ankle) are out although Vincent Kompany is expected to start despite having suffered a slight calf stain this week. David Silva and Mario Balotelli are both expected to start on the bench.
LAST MEETING
City 2-1 Chelsea
PREDICTION
We’ve bought well but had a pretty woeful pre-season really, so I’ll start the new season with my usual pessimistic head on and assume it’ll be a lacklustre start for us with no gold medals dished out on a podium. Having said that, it’s neither athletics nor an equestrian event, so whatever happens I’m just bloody glad the football’s back.
Blue is the colour
