Football

Manchester City defend the Community Shield despite not using key players

Editorial Team 5 years ago

Manchester City Flag

The Community Shield has been viewed by some people as a customary friendly curtain-raiser to the English football’s new season but it was anything but a friendly when Man City took on Liverpool to resume the new rivalry.

Liverpool fielded a full-strength starting eleven that only missed one regular starter – Sadio Mane. On the other hand, Manchester City didn’t use key players such as Ederson, Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho, Laporte and Riyad Mahrez on Sunday but still managed to deny Liverpool a domestic trophy for the fourth time in the last 5 years.

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It was a game of two halves with Manchester City the dominant side in the first and Liverpool taking control in the second, thanks to some tiring legs in City’s midfield. Raheem Sterling put Manchester City ahead in the 11th minute by scoring through the legs of Liverpool’s goal-keeper Alisson.

Sterling could have had three goals in the game. He hit the post in the second half and later squandered a brilliant chance to kill the game in the second half. Joel Matip made City pay for not taking their chances earlier. Van Dijk’s lofted cross was headed in by Joel Matip and Liverpool were back in the game.

Liverpool’s Salah had as many chances as Sterling, if not more. Claudio Bravo had answers to every question posted by Liverpool’s attack. The keeper had his best game in a City shirt and was tough to beat from open play. At one point, when Salah headed the ball past Bravo, Kyle Walker recovered and made a match-saving goal line clearance to take the game to penalties.

Every player with the exception of Liverpool’s Wijnaldum scored from the spot. The Dutch midfielder’s meak spot kick was easily saved by Claudio Bravo. Alisson didn’t look comfortable in the shoot-out as he was beaten convincingly five consecutive times. Even when Alisson got a hand to Zinchenko’s spot kick, the power in the shot was simply too much for the Brazilian keeper to stop it from going in.

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Gabril Jesus, who earlier ended Van Dijk’s 65-match streak by dribbling past the defender, scored the winning penalty. Man City have drawn first blood and claimed the Community Shield re-affirming their status as England’s best even without the likes of Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho.

Editorial Team

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LosMejor's Editorial Team includes a team of experts who cover the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. The Editorial team is headed by Deepak Selvan.