Arsenal’s Community Shield Win Could Cost Them Premier League Title This Season

After their Community Shield triumph on August 6, Arsenal is expected to grapple with a so-called Premier League title curse.

The Gunners made a statement against Manchester City in an exhilarating post-match penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium, claiming the trophy as they prepare for the 2023/24 season.

However, historical precedents from 2011 show that winning English football's traditional curtain-raiser can often lead to unforeseen outcomes, per the Guardian.

Last season's rivalry renewal between Man City and Liverpool is a prime example, where Jurgen Klopp's team dominated and Darwin Nunez made a match-winning impact off the bench.

On the other hand, the Citizens' Erling Haaland experienced some misses and appeared to cast some doubts about his current performance.

Yet, as the season progressed, the narrative flipped: the Norwegian marksman went on to shatter goal-scoring records, while Nunez showed he had much to prove.

Sports Brief examines how teams have fared in the Premier League after winning the Community Shield, shedding light on intriguing patterns and surprises.

2011: Manchester United

In the Community Shield, Man United emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over Man City, with Nani securing the winning goal. As the Premier League approached its climax, the Red Devils were five points ahead of City with only five games remaining.

However, a draw against Everton and a subsequent defeat to their noisy neighbours led to a dramatic turn of events on the final day at the Etihad Stadium. Ultimately, City managed to clinch the league title on goal difference, leaving United with a sense of bitter disappointment after that 'Agueroooo' strike.

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2012: Manchester City

Despite a thrilling 3-2 victory over Chelsea, City's league campaign fell short of expectations as they finished 11 points behind the champions, Man United. The disappointing performance led to the dismissal of Roberto Mancini at the end of the season.

2013: Manchester United

United's 2-0 triumph over Wigan signalled the beginning of a new era under David Moyes. However, the season that followed proved to be a torrid one.

After just 10 months, the manager was sacked and Ryan Giggs took over as a caretaker. Unfortunately, United hit a low, recording their lowest points tally and league finish in 22 years.

2014: Arsenal

Under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal secured a resounding 3-0 victory over Man City at Wembley. However, the league title that had eluded them since the 2003/04 season remained out of reach as they finished in third place.

Nevertheless, the Gunners managed to retain the FA Cup with an impressive 4-0 triumph against Aston Villa, adding another trophy to their collection.

2015: Arsenal

Thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's efforts, Arsenal clinched a narrow victory over Chelsea and found themselves leading the league on New Year's Day. However, a decline in form during the remainder of the season saw them slip to second place, trailing the unexpected champions - Leicester - by a margin of 10 points.

2016: Manchester United

United experienced another new beginning, this time under the leadership of José Mourinho. With a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal, they secured a thrilling victory over Leicester.

Despite this triumph, United's league performance fell short, finishing in sixth due to a staggering 15 draws. Still, they did manage to claim victory in the League Cup and Europa League, adding the two trophies to their cabinet.

2017: Arsenal

After a hard-fought match against Chelsea that came down to penalties, the Gunners' fate took a disappointing turn as they finished in sixth place, failing to qualify for the Champions League for a second consecutive season. This outcome marked the end of Wenger's 22-year tenure as manager.

2018: Manchester City

Sergio Aguero's brilliant brace against Chelsea at Wembley set the stage for a season filled with trophies for Guardiola's side. They defied the usual pattern of Community Shield 'curses' being followed by EPL disappointment and achieve the remarkable feat of winning the domestic treble, per Football London.

2019: Manchester City

City secured another trophy with a shootout victory over Liverpool, adding to their impressive collection. However, a challenging and Covid-disrupted league season saw them unable to match the dominance of a rampant Liverpool, forcing them to settle for second.

Nevertheless, they did manage to retain the League Cup, maintaining their stronghold on domestic competitions.

2020: Arsenal

A hard-fought win over Liverpool on penalties paved the way for Mikel Arteta's first full season in charge, providing hope for Arsenal fans.

However, it turned out to be a false dawn, as the team struggled to find themselves in 15th position in December. Despite a recovery later in the season, the Gunners ultimately finished in eighth place for a second consecutive year.

2021: Leicester

Leicester City celebrated another piece of silverware thanks to a late Kelechi Ihenacho penalty. However, their journey took a downturn as they finished in eighth place in the league.

The team's progress was largely hampered by poor transfer decisions and numerous injuries, which derailed their performance after two years of exceeding expectations.

2022: Liverpool

In an exciting match at the King Power Stadium, Darwin Nuñez found the net as Liverpool secured a 3-1 victory over Man City.

However, Klopp's team experienced a setback, finishing outside the top four for the first time since 2017. On the other hand, Man City achieved an incredible feat, securing the treble during the season.

Premier League introducing new rules

Sports Brief also reported on fans needing to be aware of a string of new Premier League rules that will take effect once the new season kicks off.

These guidelines have reportedly been set by the International Football Association Board and prominent among them is a change to offside laws.