We will (again) have to rely on Liverpool this season. Like every year, football across the Channel resumed its rights on Saturday July 30 with the Community Shield, a meeting between the last winner of the championship, Manchester City, and those of the cup, the Reds. Thanks to goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, it was the latter who won (3-1), after two failures in 2019 and 2020.
For his 100e edition, this Community Shield had allure between the two behemoths of English football. The latter did their part honor to the event, by aligning their constellations of stars on the lawn of the King Power Stadium in Leicester. One star stood out in particular: the Norwegian Erling Haaland, who arrived at City in the offseason for 60 million euros.
The Reds got off to a better start
Aligned from the start by Pep Guardiola, the former Borussia Dortmund player was however stolen from the start of the game by the Liverpool attackers. Very inspired, they were quick to stand out by Mohamed Salah, launched on his right side but who could not sufficiently straighten a first attempt (3e minute). Despite a timid response from the Belgian Kevin de Bruyne (7e), the Reds went straight back on the offensive through full-back Andrew Robertson (13e).
A few minutes later, it was finally another defender, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who managed to break the Skyblues lock (20e). Ideally placed, the side found himself alone at the entrance to the surface to take back an offering from Mohamed Salah, well helped in passing by the deflection of the head of Nathan Aké, who lacked success on this one.
A fairly logical goal, which had the effect of waking up the hitherto invisible City attackers. For one of these first attack balls, Riyad Mahrez sent a cannonball forcing goalkeeper Adrián into a decisive save (30e). The Spaniard, excellent on this match, was only at the beginning of a recital during which he was going to oppose Haaland (33e), then twice again against Mahrez (37e and 46e).
Salah did not shake
But while he saw his teammate Darwin Nunez, recruited at a high price this summer (75 million euros, a record for Liverpool), narrowly miss the goal of the break (63e), the goalkeeper ended up lacking vigilance in his area. Guilty of a bad ball during a confused action, he allowed Julián Álvarez to equalize (70e) after a long idle check.
Until then very quiet, the video referees had work again a few minutes later on a hand from Manchester City defender Ruben Dias in his area. But this time the decision was much easier to take: an indisputable penalty for Jürgen Klopp’s players, whom Mohamed Salah hastened to transform with a powerful shot from the right (83e).
On the way to 16e Community Shield in their history, the Reds could even fully savor the last minutes after Darwin Nunez’s first goal in his new colors (90e + 3). In addition to winning a trophy that has eluded them since 2006, Liverpool players show that they are ready for an English championship where they should still be struggling with Manchester City.