'Really pleased' - Guardiola published at 17:54 10 August
17:54 10 August
Image source, PA Media
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to ITV: "I enjoyed the season against our rival in Manchester and to start the season with a title is good. We are really pleased.
"We lost a lot of balls. After transitions, they are one of the best teams in the world. They are so dangerous to control. But in the end we did it.
"It is nice to play this game because it means you won something in the previous season.
"Now we see how the players come back. The target now is not to win the Premier League, it is 'OK, next game... try and win it'. This is what we have to do."
'It wasn't easy' - Akanji reflects on Community Shield winpublished at 17:50 10 August
17:50 10 August
Image source, PA Media
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji missed his most recent penalty [against England at Euro 2024] and was eighth up in the shootout against Manchester United.
Here are his thoughts on the Community Shield win, speaking to ITV: "I let the others shoot first because obviously when you miss a penalty, you don't go into the next one with that much confidence. I told Ederson I would shoot it down the middle in training so I did it and it went in.
"It wasn't easy. We played well, United got a bit better before it went to 1-0. Then it was a great cross from Oscar [Bobb] and Bernardo's [Silva] header.
"Ederson is probably the best penalty taker in our team, Erling [Haaland] as well. When Ederson takes a penalty, I know it is a goal.
"It is a great start to the season, I haven't won the Community Shield yet so I'm really happy that I got this trophy as well and we look forward to hopefully win the next one soon."
Man City beat Man Utd in Community Shield - tell us your thoughtspublished at 17:14 10 August
17:14 10 August
Image source, EPA
Manchester City beat Manchester United 7-6 on penalties to win the Community Shield after an entertaining encounter at Wembley finished one apiece.
Return to this page on Monday to read the submissions.
Follow Community Shield livepublished at 14:01 10 August
14:01 10 August
All eyes on Wembley Stadium this afternoon as 77 days since these two faced off in the FA Cup final, Manchester City and Manchester United are playing each other again.
The Community Shield is the traditional curtain-raiser to a new season and you can follow every moment with BBC Sport
Guardiola on Alvarez, Man Utd, 48-week fixture calendar and Englandpublished at 14:22 9 August
14:22 9 August
Simon Stone Chief football news reporter
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Community Shield encounter with Manchester United at Wembley.
Here are the main lines from his press conference:
On the imminent departure of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid: "He's incredibly loved by the team but he wants to leave and have a new challenge. Atletico is a top club in Spain and Europe and when they suggested to me that he wanted to leave, imagine he stays here if he wants to leave? Both clubs are happy with the agreement."
The Community Shield is a rematch of May's FA Cup final, won by United. Guardiola said: "It is important, it's a final against United but a part of it is to try to refine ourselves, step by step after a break for most of the players."
On the return of his players after a busy summer of international football: "We would like to give them more time but we gave them a lot. All the players came back and the England players and Rodri will come back next week."
On a 48-week season: "The best thing to do is don't think about the schedule. Think about the next training session and step by step, otherwise it's 'oh, what is going to happen?'
Guardiola was asked what it would take for him to manage England: "I have to decide what I want to do in my life. If I want to continue here, take a break, train national teams or not. Right now I am here and as you arrive at the competitions my energy rises again so I am fully excited for the season."
Dias' busy schedulepublished at 08:48 9 August
08:48 9 August
Image source, @rubendias on X
Ruben Dias has revealed his schedule as a Manchester City player for 2024-25.
Dias shared the above image in an X (formerly twitter) post, with the caption "POV: You play for City".
With the new-look Club World Cup format, the season could be over 11 months for Dias and his fellow City players, starting on Saturday with the community shield final and potentially ending on the 14 July if they get to the final of the Club World Cup.
Dias is entering his fifth season as a City player, and will be looking to maintain his perfect record of winning the Premier League title in every season he has contested.
'If you dance on the edge of a volcano you might just fall in'published at 07:41 9 August
07:41 9 August
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Right now, brinkmanship is the name of the game. There have been times when some clubs sorted their transfer business early in the window and everyone wondered why so few others followed their lead. Put simply, it isn't in the selling clubs' financial interest, and it usually isn't in the moving player's financial interest either, to go early.
A selling club wants a bidding war to up the price and they don't mind a bit of panic buying when the window is creaking ever nearer the sill. If you still haven't signed that star player who you think, hope or maybe even actually believe, will make all the difference, clubs can get twitchy and make rash costly decisions.
I have watched it happen from within. Good intentions and a willingness to stick to a pre-arranged budget, suddenly evaporates when clubs are bounced into making these calls. There is also a bit of pride in there too. "We aren't losing out on our first choice to that lot!" is a common refrain, especially when it's to one of your close rivals.
As for the moving player, or more specifically his agent, last-minute brinkmanship is the dream scenario. Playing two or three suitors off against each other (and you don't even have to tell the truth of what you are being offered elsewhere) means you can exaggerate as much as you like to up the ante.
So that is why the deals go to the wire, and why they are so lucrative. It is also why I never have too much sympathy for a player, when a huge deal falls through at the last moment. Greed can push it too far in the end and it can all come crashing down, which is why they call it brinkmanship! If you dance on the edge of a volcano you might just fall in.
'A great tribute to the club's past'published at 16:09 8 August
16:09 8 August
We asked for your views on Manchester City's new away kit, which is inspired by the one worn when City won promotion from the third tier in 1999.
Here are some of your comments:
Nick K: I love it! Don't usually bother with kits any more, usually because of the astronomical prices of them, but that game has a special place in my heart and I will remember it as long as my brain lets me! I will absolutely be getting myself one of these.
Rhiannon: I love this kit referencing our promotion to what was the Division One. I think this year will be a really important one for City with our first game being the derby which I expect us to win. I think this season we should be going for everything.
Peter: Personally I remain very unhappy with any kit that uses fluorescent yellow. This special colour is used predominantly by stewards and there have been occasions where the clash has been too obvious, and has the potential to be very unhelpful. The FA and other sports bodies should stop all use of fluorescent yellow for any team.
Martin: After queuing all day at Maine Road for a ticket I was there on that crazy day of football, down and out with only seconds of normal time to play. Fans leaving the stadium with heads down, fans in tears, fans angry and frustrated after years of mediocrity. The rest is history as they say, and all summed up in this iconic strip.
Nick H: I think it is a great tribute to the club's past and the fight we had even before the financial backing. Many envious people knock City's privileged position these days but the respect and understanding the owners have for the past troubles and glories is refreshing. The owners have never forgotten the history or the fans of the club.
Abdullah: Wonderful kit, I usually dislike seeing yellow on football kits or on clothes in general. I thought that our 2022-23 third kit, which was yellow, was appalling. However this kit has an unbelievable combination of wonderful colours. As it resembles our famous play-off final in 1999, I feel we could do something even more special in this kit.
Man Utd v Man City: Community Shield statspublished at 13:18 8 August
13:18 8 August
Manchester City take on Manchester United in the Community Shield on Saturday.
Both City and United have been runners-up nine times in Community Shield matches - whoever fails to win the trophy this year will be the first club to do so on 10 occasions.
City striker Erling Haaland has been involved in nine goals in six appearances against United, scoring six and assisting three. However, he is yet to register a single goal involvement in four appearances at Wembley.
City's Phil Foden has been involved in seven goals in his past six appearances against United, scoring six and assisting one. Only against Brighton (eight) has he scored more club career goals than he has against the Red Devils (six).
Kobbie Mainoo, 19, scored for United in their FA Cup final victory against City in May. The only player to score in the FA Cup final and subsequent Community Shield match as a teenager is Nicolas Anelka for Arsenal in 1998.
Marcus Rashford has scored six goals against City in all competitions - only against Leicester City (eight) and Liverpool (seven) has he scored more in his United career.
New kit points to historic 'turning point'published at 08:57 8 August
08:57 8 August
Image source, MCFC
Manchester City have revealed their new away kit for the 2024-25 season will be a throwback to one of the most famous games in their history.
On 30 May 1999, City beat Gillingham on penalties in the Second Division play-off final, and they have based their new away kit on a match which the club say is "often seen as the turning point in City's fortunes".
The PUMA kit, is navy-blue with neon yellow vertical stripes and has neon yellow and blue detailing on the collar and sleeves.
Paul Dickov, who equalised for City deep into added time at Wembley on that famous day, forms part of the kit's promotional video the club shared on social media.
Image source, MCFC
What are your thoughts on the new kit? Do you like the club's reference to their historic Second Division promotion?
Man Utd v Man City: Community Shield statspublished at 17:10 7 August
17:10 7 August
Premier League champions Manchester City take on FA Cup winners Manchester United in the Community Shield on Saturday.
This will be the third time that City and United have met in the Community Shield. United have won both previous matchups - 1-0 in 1956 and 3-2 in 2011.
Of the past eight occasions that the Community Shield has been between the previous season's champions and FA Cup winners, the team to have won the FA Cup has won the shield seven times, with the exception being Manchester City's 2-0 win over Chelsea in 2018.
This is the fourth consecutive year Manchester City are appearing in the Community Shield, though they failed to win the trophy in any of 2021, 2022 or 2023. Only Manchester United (1998-2001) have failed to win the Community Shield in four consecutive years.
Including shared victories, United have won the Community Shield more often than any other side (21). The Red Devils have won the trophy in their past four appearances, with this their first since a 2-1 win over Leicester City in 2016 in Jose Mourinho's first match in charge.
'Great business' or 'a huge mistake'? Fan views on selling Alvarezpublished at 12:53 7 August
12:53 7 August
We asked for your views on the news that Julian Alvarez is set to leave Manchester City for Atletico Madrid.
Here are some of your comments:
Mark: I think it's great business for City. He'll be missed and has great potential but he's never going to be above Haaland in the pecking order. Good luck to him.
Keith: We need to continue to develop the team and Alvarez was excellent but didn't offer a different style of attack if a change of Haaland is needed. Being "new" and unpredictable is an important part of development in the Premier League.
Steve: It is a shame but I think, like Torres, Sane and Sterling, one reason they were so good was because of having Man City's team and manager behind them. We should have kept Palmer, though. Not quite sure what we'll do if Haaland goes off the boil or gets injured.
Scott: Alvarez has been an excellent servant of the club and we all wish him well during the next step of his career. During his time with us he has achieved every trophy possible, scored some important goals and played some exceptional football that changed games. Obviously, we don't like quality players leaving, but we understand his motivation.
George: Selling Alvarez is a huge mistake. He is a world-class footballer that has almost completed football at such a young age. He is such a versatile player as well. It seems like the only thing missing from his trophy cabinet is a League Cup.
James: A huge profit for a player who has always had his eyes on La Liga. Take the money and reinvest with a mind to replace Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne next year.
How do you feel about Alvarez sale?published at 11:55 7 August
11:55 7 August
How do you feel about the news that Julian Alvarez is set to leave City to join Atletico Madrid? The 24-year-old will bring in a record sale fee for the club but would you have preferred him to stay? How would you like to see the club spend the money?
Image source, PA Media
