Arsenal will kick off their season in the Community Shield against Manchester City, and Viktor Gyokeres isn't having any suggestion that the match is merely a friendly
Viktor Gyokeres interview
Viktor Gyokeres gave a firm response(Image: Hayters TV)
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Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres has rejected the claim that Sunday's clash with Manchester City in the Community Shield should be considered a friendly. The Gunners will take on City at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Sunday for the chance to win the season's first piece of silverware.
The two teams went head-to-head last season in the Premier League title race, with Arsenal coming out on top. City did, however, beat Mikel Arteta's side in the Carabao Cup final.
Following Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in an actual friendly, Gyokeres was asked about the game against City. The striker dismissed a reporter who noted that a portion of fans and pundits view the Community Shield as just another stage of pre-season.
"Against City? As a friendly? I don't know what other people think but we want to win that game of course, for sure," Gyokeres affirmed.
"When you win titles, you get confidence, you get a boost with everything that comes with it. So, yeah, it's only positive things with that. We want to make sure that we're not only on top of that but that we're ready for the new season."
Arsenal have lost their last two friendlies and will face Como on Wednesday looking to end pre-season on a high. Arteta hasn't had his full squad available to him yet, but he was asked after the Dortmund match whether he expects some players who were involved in the latter stages of this summer's World Cup to be invovled on Sunday.
"Yes, because we have very different groups within the same time that they are coming back," the Arsenal manager explained. "Why? Because some of them they've done more, some others they've done less, some more than they did and almost participated in the World Cup in terms of minutes.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 9: Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal during the during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal FC and Borussia Dortmund at Emirates Stadium on August 9, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Viktor Gyokeres won't be treating the Community Shield like a friendly(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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"So they are all very different stages. I want to see as well the way they have looked after themselves, what they said they did and actually what they did and how they look. But I'm sure that will be all positive surprises."
Arsenal's title defence begins at home to newly promoted Coventry on Friday, August 21. The Gunners will then travel to Aston Villa for their second Premier League fixture.