By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
Arsenal sent an early warning to their Premier League rivals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield in Cardiff.
The Gunners produced a statement performance to brush aside City and claim the first silverware of the new campaign in emphatic fashion.
Arsenal made a dream start, stunning City after just 23 seconds. Myles Lewis-Skelly unlocked the defence with a superb pass to Riccardo Calafiori, who kept his composure before coolly finishing to give the Gunners an immediate lead.
It was a nightmare beginning for new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, whose first competitive match in charge following the end of Pep Guardiola’s era could hardly have started worse.
City attempted to find a response after the early setback, but Arsenal remained organised and dangerous, repeatedly causing problems whenever they went forward.
Mikel Arteta’s side eventually tightened their grip on the contest, adding two more goals to complete an impressive 3-0 victory and underline their ambitions ahead of the new Premier League season.
For City, the heavy defeat provided Maresca with an immediate indication of the work required as he begins a new chapter at the Etihad.
Arsenal, meanwhile, leave Cardiff with the Community Shield and, perhaps more importantly, an emphatic message to their title rivals: the Gunners are ready to challenge again.
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