| Odds via 22bet | |
| Manchester City vs Manchester United | August 10, 15:00 GMT+1 |
| Manchester City odds | 1.58 |
| Manchester United odds | 4.98 |
| Draw | 4.5 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.46/2.53 |
Almost all of Manchester City’s key players participated in the latter stages of major international tournaments for their national teams in June and July. This led to a varied pre-season preparation, with City losing three out of four friendly matches.
During these matches, City played with a secondary squad and conceded 11 goals, largely due to the inexperience and disorganization of the young defenders, who lack sufficient experience in senior football.
Despite the defensive frailties, the Cityzens scored 11 goals in four games, which is a respectable result. Erling Haaland stood out, scoring five goals in four pre-season matches, demonstrating his continued importance to the team.
Oscar Bobb also impressed with two goals and three assists. However, the addition of wing forward Savinho makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly where the 21-year-old Norwegian will play in the upcoming season.
Given the current situation, we can expect to see Bobb in the starting line-up for the FA Super Cup match, especially considering the lack of match practice among some of his teammates. Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, who both participated in all the pre-season friendlies, will surely play alongside him in the attack.
Regarding Manchester City’s defense and midfield, we can anticipate the presence of Rúben Dias, Nathan Ake, or Manuel Akanji (who has just returned from vacation) alongside Joško Gvardiol. Rico Lewis, who showed promise in this position during pre-season training, could slot in on the right wing.
James McAtee, Mateo Kovacic, and Kalvin Phillips are likely to play in the midfield. Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva are not yet ready for the starting line-up.
| Recent Form | WLLLL |
| Key Players to Watch | Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, Oscar Bobb |
| Team Strengths | Great play in attack |
| Team Weaknesses | Many main players just got back after vacation and don`t have enough game practice |
It feels like last season never ended for Manchester United, as the team is facing major squad problems again, considering the injuries to Rasmus Højlund and especially Leny Yoro, who arrived after a £52.2 million transfer less than a month ago, will be out for at least three months.
Furthermore, Bruno Fernandes will likely not be able to help his team from the start of the match, given his recent return from vacation and lack of match fitness.
It’s also still unclear whether Lisandro Martínez, who just returned from vacation, will be ready to play in the starting lineup. The Argentine’s presence would be crucial for stabilizing the defense, which has shown vulnerabilities.
Manchester United continues to search for a top-class defensive midfielder and a second center-back, which means that Jonny Evans, who struggled last season and in the pre-season, might be called upon to play in this match.
The reliability of Christian Eriksen or Scott McTominay alongside Casemiro in the defensive midfield is also in question, leading to concerns about the team’s solidity in the middle of the park.
It’s doubtful that Kobbie Mainoo, who has just returned to training, will play in this match, further limiting ten Hag’s options.
All of the above suggests that Manchester United may face serious defensive problems, and replicating the success of the 2024 FA Cup final will be extremely difficult for them. In friendly matches, Erik ten Hag’s team conceded eight goals, and the defensive frailties could have led to even more.
On the other hand, in five pre-season matches, Man United scored six goals, with Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford in excellent form. Jadon Sancho could also be valuable in the counter-attacking game against City, where quick transitions could be key.
| Recent Form | LWDWL |
| Key Players to Watch | Jadon Sancho, Christian Eriksen |
| Team Strengths | Strong counterattacking play |
| Team Weaknesses | Lack of good central defenders and defensive midfielder |
Since Erik ten Hag took over at Manchester United in July 2022, his team secured two victories in the “Manchester Derby”: one in the 2022-2023 Premier League season at their home ground and the second in the 2024 FA Cup final. On both occasions, Manchester United emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline.
However, during this period, Manchester City has dominated the derby with four victories with an aggregate score of 18-6, including the 2023 FA Cup final. Guardiola’s team defeated Erik ten Hag’s team three times with a three-goal margin.
The two teams met once in the Community Shield in 2011, where Manchester United, as the English champions, edged out Manchester City with a score of 3-2.
Erling Haaland has been a thorn in Manchester United’s side, scoring six goals and providing three assists in four matches against them. He is likely to receive the ball in advantageous positions, and with his physical presence and positioning, he will likely cause big problems for United’s weak defense.
However, if Lisandro Martínez is able to play in this match, he could potentially neutralize the Norwegian, as he has done on several occasions in the past, both with Ajax and Manchester United
In tactical terms, Erik ten Hag outplayed Pep Guardiola in the 2023 FA Cup final by using a 4-2-2-2 formation. This formation completely neutralized City’s narrow attacks and allowed United to create a numerical advantage in the central area of the pitch.
The problem is that ten Hag’s success is often tied to the availability of his key players. With several of them not being able to play in the Community Shield match, the Dutch coach might face an uphill battle to replicate his previous tactical successes.
Guardiola, on the other hand, is likely to have learned from the mistakes in the last cup final and will undoubtedly make adjustments. We can expect City to increase their attacking thrust through the flanks from the start, addressing the lack of width that hindered them in their previous encounter with United.
Manchester City last won the Community Shield in 2019, after which they lost four times, including last year, to Arsenal in a penalty shootout.
This trend can be largely attributed to Guardiola’s approach to the match, often treating it more like a pre-season exercise than a serious trophy contest. City often fielded a reserve squad with low intensity and concentration.
Furthermore, this year, most of City’s main players have just returned from vacation and have not reached peak fitness.
Therefore, in my opinion, it’s quite risky to bet on City to win this match, even considering all of Manchester United’s problems.
A more appealing option seems to be a bet where both teams score. Especially considering that in six out of the last seven matches between them, both clubs scored at least one goal.
Even without many of their star players, Manchester City consistently scored more than one goal in four preseason matches. On the other hand, Manchester United has struggled defensively and consistently conceded more than one goal in their last three friendly matches.
Considering the defensive issues in Erik ten Hag’s team, it is reasonable to assume that Man City will score more than one goal in this Community Shield clash.
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