Arsenal v Man City: Does the Community Shield really matter in the title race?

In partnership with

Just Arsenal News

·10 August 2026

Arsenal v Man City: Does the Community Shield really matter in the title race?

Supporters of all clubs debate how seriously the Charity/Community Shield should be taken.

That debate will only increase this week as we get closer to Sunday.

OneFootball Videos

Let’s be honest, most fans count the event as a major trophy if their team is lifting it, yet lose and you get over it within a couple of days.

But will our result against Man City have any bearing on this season’s title race?

I thought I’d look back to see whether Arsenal’s previous success – or failure – in this fixture had any impact on what followed in the Premier League.

You might be surprised…

Arsenal’s early Charity Shield meetings

1993 – Arsenal 1-1 Man United (lost on pens)

Ian Wright missed a spot kick that would have won the game for Arsenal.

The Gunners were at Wembley due to winning the FA Cup as part of their Cup Double the season before.

They would continue being a good Cup team, lifting the Cup Winners’ Cup, but it had been a few years since George Graham had built a squad capable of challenging for the title – finishing 4th.

1998 – Arsenal 3-0 Man United

Mr Wenger followed up winning the Double in his first full season in England by lifting the Charity Shield at his first attempt.

The next campaign, though, would be one of the most competitive between Arsenal and Man United. The Red Devils would famously win the Treble, but it easily could have been a Double Double for the Gunners – finished runners-up.

1999 – Arsenal 2-1 Man United

For the second year running, Arsenal beat United at Wembley, but yet again it made little impact on the title race.

Not only did the Gunners finish 2nd, but there would be an 18-point gap between us and the champions.

2002 – Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool

Known for Gilberto Silva scoring on his Arsenal debut.

The Gunners started and finished their season in Cardiff, retaining their FA Cup but not the title – finished runners-up.

2003 – Arsenal 0-0 Man United (lost on penalties)

For the next couple of years, Man United and spot kicks would play a massive part in our history.

Little did Gooners know when Pires had his penalty saved that Arsenal wouldn’t lose a single Premier League game that season.

The closest the Invincibles came to that not happening was when United had a stoppage-time penalty smash the crossbar at Old Trafford.

2004 – Arsenal 3-1 Man United

This fixture began and ended the domestic season with the Gunners also beating United in the FA Cup Final.

Yet little did Mr Wenger or Sir Alex Ferguson know it would be the first time in a decade that neither manager would be champion – Arsenal finished runners-up.

2005 – Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal

Not for the first time, and in what would become a recurring theme, Drogba bullied our defence, particularly Senderos.

Arsenal went on to finish 4th in their final season at Highbury.

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Wenger’s later years and Arteta’s Wembley wins

2014 – Arsenal 3-0 Man City

Having ended their nine-year trophy drought on their previous visit to Wembley, the Gunners ended their decade-long wait for the Charity/Community Shield.

Gooners were excited by the manner in which we beat the champions, but it had zero bearing on the title race, as we finished 3rd.

2015 – Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

Based on their rivalry, you sensed this Community Shield meant a little bit more than usual to both managers – the only time Arsene Wenger beat Jose Mourinho as Chelsea boss.

The Portuguese would be sacked in December, while that season proved a missed opportunity for the Gunners, finishing runners-up to Leicester.

2017 – Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea (won on pens)

Having beaten Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, we again got one over the champions.

This would turn out to be the final thing Mr Wenger would win.

Little did we know it at the time, but this would be the Frenchman’s final season as manager.

He left North London with the Gunners in 6th.

2020 – Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (won on pens)

Due to COVID, football was trying to catch up with itself. The schedule meant the Community Shield was only 28 days after we had lifted the FA Cup.

This period for Mikel Arteta, less than a year into his managerial career, gave Gooners hope, but it proved a false dawn as, for the second year running, we finished in our worst League position in a quarter of a century – 8th.

2023 – Arsenal 1-1 Man City (won on pens)

A very late Trossard equaliser and shoot-out victory was celebrated more than Community Shields usually are.

With only Mikel Arteta’s second win over Pep Guardiola after eight successive defeats, this was seen as another sign he was closing the gap on his mentor.

Not that this stopped Arsenal from finishing runners-up again to Man City, taking the title race to the final day of the season.

So does the Community Shield actually matter?

Arsenal have never lifted the Charity/Community Shield and the Premier League in the same season.

History therefore suggests Sunday’s result will tell us very little about where the Premier League trophy will end up next May.

So, if you’re heading to Wales this weekend, enjoy the day out and hopefully enjoy watching Arsenal lift another piece of silverware – but don’t read too much into what happens in Cardiff.

Win or lose, the real business starts afterwards.

Dan Smith

What do you think, Gooners? Does winning the Community Shield give a team an important early psychological advantage, or is it simply a glorified pre-season friendly?

Let us know in the comments.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…

Arsenal v Man City: Does the Community Shield really matter in the title race?