- Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has played down the importance of winning the Community Shield after Arsenal beat Manchester City on penalties.
The traditional curtain raiser to the season has been branded a ‘glorified friendly’ by some supporters in the past and is rarely a marker as to what the future holds. That being said, both Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola were keen to win on Sunday under the arch.
City were on the verge of lifting the trophy when Cole Palmer curled home in the 88th minute. However, a late Leandro Trossard equaliser sent the match to penalties.
Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri both missed their spot kicks as the Gunners sealed a 4-1 victory in the shootout to take home the shield. Following their success, Ferdinand was keen to remind Arsenal not to get too carried away after their triumph.
The TNT Sport pundit tweeted: “Couldn’t tell you how many Community Shields I won,” accompanied with a laughing and shrug of the shoulders emoji. “Always enjoyed the day BUT,” he added in a separate tweet moments later.
Of course, City are no stranger to disappointment in the Community Shield. Last year, the Blues lost 3-1 to Liverpool at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium in a match which saw Erling Haaland miss a sitter.
Guardiola’s men did not let the defeat derail their season though as City went on to win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. The Blues’ bid to retain their title begins on Friday night when they travel to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.
