LIVERPOOL and Manchester City face off in the Community Shield at Leicester RIGHT NOW – and City new boy Erling Haaland is starting.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds pushed City all the way last season but were unable to deny them a second straight title after Pep Guardiola’s men completed a thrilling comeback at home to Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
But the Reds did secure FA Cup glory with the second of two penalty shootout victories over Chelsea they enjoyed at Wembley last season.
In a break with tradition, this year’s match will be played at Leicester as Wembley is hosting the Women’s Euro 2022 final.
- Kick-off time: 5pm
- TV/live stream: ITV/ ITV Hub
- Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish
- Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Diaz, Salah, Firmino
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Liverpool 0-0 Man City
5. De Bruyne tries to slot the ball through into the path of Haaland.
Liverpool cut the ball out but De Bruyne retains possession.
He is bundled to the floor and wins a free kick just inside the Liverpool half.
The free kick goes harmlessly out for a goal kick.
Credit: AFP Liverpool 0-0 Man City
3. Liverpool have had a couple of half-chances already.
City seem to be nervous of the quickness of The Reds on the break.
Diaz tries to get a shot off at goal but it is well blocked.
Salah is looking in fine-form already.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
1. Liverpool start on the front foot as Diaz attacks down the left.
The ball eventually ending up with Salah out on the right who finds Thiago on the edge of the box.
His shot is blocked and cleared by Man City.
Kick-off: Liverpool vs Man City
The 2022 football season is underway.
Liverpool start the game here at the King Power Stadium.
Both sides wearing their traditional colours.
Players take to the field
Both sides line up and are introduced to the VIP attendees.
The atmosphere builds in Leicester as we edge closer to kick-off.
Every football fan has been waiting for this game which marks the beginning of another football season.
As the national anthem rings out, the tension builds…..
Time to make your father proud
Erling Haaland follows in the footsteps of his father Alfie Haaland in pulling on the Man City top today.
While his career with the club was cut short due to a career-ending injury, his son will be hoping to make a name for himself amongst City fans.
Scoring today and leading Pep’s new look team to Community Shield success would be a great way to start his Man City career.
Credit: EPA City may pay the penalty….again
Liverpool’s victories in both the EFL Cup and FA Cup last season came from penalty shootout victories over Chelsea.
However, The Reds last two Community Shield defeats have come from 12 yards.
Man City lost last season’s Community Shield to a late Leicester City penalty.
Credit: Getty Man City subs:
18. Ortega Moreno, 4. Phillips, 5. Stones, 8. Gundogan, 19. Alvarez, 47. Foden, 79. Mbete, 80. Palmer, 97. Wilson-Esbrand
Man City starting XI:
Erling Haaland makes his first start for his new club today.
Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake form a new centre-back partnership due to injuries to other players.
31. Ederson, 2. Walker, 3. Dias, 6. Ake, 7. Cancelo, 16. Rodrigo, 20. Bernardo, 17. De Bruyne, 26. Mahrez, 9. Haaland, 10. Grealish
Credit: @ManCity
Liverpool subs:
95. Davies, 2. Gomez, 5. Konate, 7. Milner, 8. Keita, 17. Jones, 19. Elliott, 27. Nunez, 28. Carvalho
Liverpool starting XI:
Roberto Firmino starts up top for Liverpool, while Joel Matip partners Virgil van Dijk in defence.
Adrian deputises in goals for the injured Alisson Becker.
13. Adrian, 66. Alexander-Arnold, 32. Matip, 4. van Dijk, 26. Robertson, 14. Henderson, 3. Fabinho, 6. Thiago, 11. Salah, 9. Firmino, 23. Diaz.
Credit: @LFC Teams arrive at King Power
With less than an hour before kick off, the two teams arrive, cheered on by the fans who have made the trip.
A very different trip this year with bright lights of London not on offer for either side.
Liverpool did actually suffer a rare defeat here in the league last season, something which City will take confidence in knowing.
Credit: Getty Ox’s consistent injury woes
Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain has suffered yet another long term injury.
The Liverpool midfielder really has had a career plagued by injury and his luck does not seem to be changing anytime soon.
It does question his place in the Liverpool squad when he spends so much time out on the sidelines.
Form difficult to predict this early
Liverpool have won the Community Shield outright 10 times, sharing the honour on another 5 occasions.
Not since 2006 have The Reds got their hands on this particular piece of silverware.
City have won the trophy outright 6 times but have now lost more Community Shield matches than they have won.
Silverware back at King Power
Leicester City are welcoming back a trophy that they housed in their trophy cabinet only very recently.
A late Iheanacho penalty decided the game with The Foxes winning by a slender 1-0 margin.
They would have hoped the return of the Community Shield would have been under different circumstances other than just hosting the game this time around.
Credit: Getty
Lionesses impress Guardiola in tournament
Asked about the rescheduling of the fixture from Wembley due to Euro 2022, the Man City manager commented:
I think they deserve all the credit, football around the world how they rise and do incredibly good. They deserve what they are getting. Four years ago there was not media or following like this. It happens because they do incredible things with the way, the style. I saw in England and Germany the good football, I hope they can do a good final, it’s a big success for both nations. It’s an incredible scenario at Wembley, a full crowd, hopefully they can enjoy it. Congratulations, it’s so nice for England to arrive in a final.
Pep Guardiola
Different atmosphere for Community Shield
The 32,000 capacity King Power stadium will prevent many fans from attending today, compared to the 90,000 seater Wembley Stadium that usually hosts the game.
Both teams have been given a meagre 12,000 tickets for today’s match up.
It seems more and more in these showpiece games that the fans are forgotten by the powers that be.
Fans looking after carbon footprint
Usually held at Wembley, the 100th Community Shield game has been moved to Leicester City’s stadium due to the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final being scheduled to be played in London this weekend for some time now.
This will come as a relief to both sets of fans, eliminating the need for them travelling from North to South of the country to follow their team.
The fans will make a much shorter trip to Leicester for the game today.
Welcome to Liverpool vs Man City
The annual curtain-raiser to the Premier League season takes place today at the King Power Stadium with Liverpool and Man City locking horns for the chance to lift the Community Shield.
Liverpool will be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker for today’s game due to an abdominal problem, Klopp will be hoping he will return for the first game of the Premier League season next weekend.
Diogo Jota’s hamstring issue will keep him out while Kostas Tsimikas picked up a knock in training which will render him unavailable for the game.
Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain suffered a serious hamstring injury which will force a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Calvin Ramsay and Caoimhin Kelleher have both been nursing physical injuries in pre-season, so Adrian will no doubt be called upon to deputise in goal.
Aymeric Laporte remains sidelined with a knee injury while new signing Kalvin Phillips is already becoming accustomed to a spot on the bench.
John Stones, Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan all missed City’s tour of the USA but will be available to Pep Guardiola today.
No reason was given by the club as to their omission from the pre-season tour but many sources point towards their covid vaccination status as the reason.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
