Community Shield: Man City vs. Liverpool
MATCH TIME: 9.30 PM IST
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Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk; two world-class goalkeepers in Ederson and Alisson; and arguably the two leading coaches in the game in Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. With so much A-list talent and winning pedigree between Manchester City and Liverpool, Saturday's Community Shield clash is more than a curtain-raiser for the new season, it is a showcase of excellence that has become the defining game in English football.
Sure, Manchester United vs. Liverpool is still the game that generates more global interest than any other Premier League match, but right now, it is far from a level contest. Liverpool beat United 9-0 on aggregate over two games last season, leading that rivalry to become somewhat irrelevant in deciding the outcome of title races and battles for silverware.
The same applies to United vs. Arsenal. The two clubs dominated the Premier League for almost a decade in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with one or the other winning the title in nine straight seasons between 1995 and 1996 and 2003 and 2004, but a generation of fans have since grown up without ever witnessing them slugging it out for the title. The rivalry, if it still exists, has been reduced to deciding Europa League qualification rather than the major honours.
Sure, Manchester United vs. Liverpool is still the game that generates more global interest than any other Premier League match, but right now, it is far from a level contest. Liverpool beat United 9-0 on aggregate over two games last season, leading that rivalry to become somewhat irrelevant in deciding the outcome of title races and battles for silverware.
The same applies to United vs. Arsenal. The two clubs dominated the Premier League for almost a decade in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with one or the other winning the title in nine straight seasons between 1995 and 1996 and 2003 and 2004, but a generation of fans have since grown up without ever witnessing them slugging it out for the title. The rivalry, if it still exists, has been reduced to deciding Europa League qualification rather than the major honours.
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