Arsenal began their season in ideal fashion by winning the Community Shield, but that has often set teams up for underwhelming season as the Premier League champions seek to end that trend
Arsenal will hope to avoid the Community Shield curse that has struck for almost a decade
Arsenal will hope to avoid the Community Shield curse that has struck for almost a decade
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If Arsenal are to win the Premier League then they will have to buck a Community Shield trend that goes all the way back to 2018.
For the last seven seasons winning the curtain raiser has spelt the end of a team's title hopes with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and the Gunners all lifting the trophy before going on to miss out on top spot - some of them failing to even challenge.
In some instances winning the Community Shield and then missing out on the Premier League has by no means been a surprise. Leicester City won it in 2021 off the back of winning the FA Cup the season prior, Crystal Palace did likewise, but neither were tipped to be in title contention.
City beat Chelsea 2-0 in 2018 off the back of becoming the one and only side to register 100 Premier League points. Their win over the Blues would set them on a season that saw them become the only side in English history to win the domestic treble.
Since then Guardiola twice claimed the Community Shield - doing so in 2019 before finishing second to a rampant Liverpool and again in 2024, where they could only finish third after a major wobble mid-season.
Arsenal themselves under Mikel Arteta won the Community Shield on penalties in 2020 but could only finish eighth - losing eight of their first 14 games to languish down in 15th come Christmas Day.
Liverpool claimed the season's curtain raiser in 2022 off the back of winning the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, but Jurgen Klopp's bright start ended with the Reds missing out on the Champions League as they could only finish fifth.
Liverpool endured a poor campaign after winning the curtain raiser in 2022
Liverpool endured a poor campaign after winning the curtain raiser in 2022
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Leicester's Community Shield season ended with them in eighth, the year before they got relegated. Palace finished in 15th with their success fuelling Oliver Glasner's desire for more backing, which ended with him announcing his departure only months later.
Without City's 2018 win, the stats would be even more damning - they remain the only Community Shield winner since 2010 to win the title that year. That's a staggeringly low strike rate of just 6.25%.
Arsenal will seek to end that jinx that has stemmed from winning the Community Shield and looked ominous when they dismantled Maresca's City in Cardiff, easing to a 3-0 win in the Welsh capital.
Riccardo Calafiori had them in front inside 30 seconds and the Gunners never looked back with the gap between them and the rest looking as if its getting bigger with each passing game.
Man City are the last team to win the Community Shield and the league in the same season - some eight years ago
Man City are the last team to win the Community Shield and the league in the same season - some eight years ago(Image: GETTY )
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City, Chelsea and Liverpool are all under new management, which may mean they need time to get things firing. Manchester United, for all their forward strides last season, still have a notable gulf between them and the champions.
Arsenal are almost even money with the majority of bookmakers ahead of the season starting next weekend, where the Gunners will take on newly promoted Coventry City.
Community Shield winners since 2019
2019: Man City
Premier League finish: 2nd
2020: Arsenal
Premier League finish: 8th
2021: Leicester City
Premier League finish: 8th
2022: Liverpool
Premier League finish: 5th
2023: Arsenal
Premier League finish: 2nd
2024: Man City
Premier League finish: 3rd
2025: Crystal Palace
Premier League finish: 15th