City kicked off the 2019/20 campaign the same way we finished the last: lifting silverware.
READ: City retain Community Shield with shoot-out win
WATCH: Guardiola | ‘Bravo was the difference’
GALLERY: City celebrate Wembley success
CITY 125 KIT: Register your interest
A thoroughly entertaining contest at Wembley saw Pep Guardiola’s men edge Liverpool in the Community Shield with a 5-4 win on penalties, and anticipation for the new Premier League campaign has kicked up several notches.
The enthralling encounter earned plenty of acclaim from fans and journalists alike…
Opinion
The Telegraph: Forget the date, it was a treat watching Man City and Liverpool pick up where they left off last season
Jim White: “Shield wearing the nicest kit you will see this season. It was a lovely, simple, sky blue throwback number, bereft of sponsors’ logo … as commemoration of the club’s 125th anniversary. This was a nostalgic reminder of the days of Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee, of Malcolm Allison’s fedora.
“Only the most determined curmudgeon could fail to be excited by this. The intricate passing patterns, the smart athleticism, the defensive scrambles, the managerial meltdowns, the goal-line bicycle kick clearances, the relentless, never-say-die spirit: forget the date, it was a treat watching these two sides back in opposition. Right down to the last kick of the penalty shoot-out, so close was the competition it remained impossible to thread a cigarette paper between them.
“Because from the moment the whistle restarted the season, they picked up where they had left off last. This was superb entertainment, driven by a determined sense of anything-you-can-do-I-can-do- better competitiveness.
“For the City fans heading back up the motorway, doubtless it will be cast as the first stage in the pursuit of another domestic quadruple.”
ESPN: Community Shield shows that Man City, Liverpool will again be well above their Premier League rivals
Melissa Reddy: “Let’s be brief when it comes to the “things we learned” from the Community Shield: good luck to the rest of the Premier League.
“Liverpool and Manchester City, the winners of the 2019-20 curtain raiser at Wembley, show zero signs of letting up. If anything, they look more determined than ever to shatter records and set new benchmarks, both driven on by the presence of the other to be the very best versions of themselves, even in a friendly.
“There were 77,565 in attendance at the iconic stadium to witness a 1-1 draw that was settled 5-4 on penalties in favour to City, but the numbers were not as important as the eye-opening effort and application from the main contenders for the crown this season.”
Manchester Evening News: Man City might have a new attacking option after Liverpool FC clash
Charlotte Duncker: “Given City’s goal haul in recent seasons it’s hard to think how they’re going to push on from that again but Guardiola has been experimenting with new tricks and tactics.
“On pre-season tour the squad experimented with free kicks and corners, especially in the game against Kitchee, and it was a similarly taken free kick that undid Liverpool in the first half of the Community Shield clash at Wembley.
“A quick free kick tapped to Kyle Walker with a long ball over the top into the area for Kevin de Bruyne to push it on to David Silva who flicked it into Raheem Sterling‘s path to bundle City into the lead.
“The squad have been working on different set piece tactics over the summer and they’re already paying dividends.”
Daily Express: Rodri shows signs he can replace Vincent Kompany for Man City after Liverpool thriller
Tony Banks: “Manchester City’s new boy Rodri announced upon his arrival at the club that he intends to be a leader in the team.
“The £62.6 million new defensive midfielder from Atletico Madrid, at 23 is a confident boy. Especially as he looks set to be stepping into the shoes of Fernandinho, the Mr Reliable up until now of Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering teams.
“But Fernandinho is now 34 and Pep is not one for having his teams stand still, even after winning the treble last year.
“Fernandinho was a non-stop, smooth-running, utterly calm bundle of energy, filling holes, plugging gaps, stopping teams before they even got going.
“Rodri, on Sunday afternoon, sat in that same position in front of the Manchester City back four - but was a much more powerful, physically imposing figure, with an upright, commanding stance.
“For Rodri, the opposition this season won’t always be of Liverpool’s waspish quality. Against lesser teams, the Spaniard, with his strength and quality looks like he could be that leader.”
Daily Mail: ‘They have no days off’: Rio Ferdinand praises winning culture of ‘scary’ Manchester City after Wembley win
Rio Ferdinand: “They’ve won the game without [Aymeric] Laporte, Fernandinho, and [Sergio] Aguero, three of their most important players last season.
“It shows you the depth of this squad. You need the depth and quality to sustain title challenges and cup competitions.
“That’s the scary thing for other teams challenging.
“That’s the culture he’s [Pep Guardiola] created. There’s no days off. Any game they play, you have to be at full tilt. That’s only a positive thing for Man City.”
City Social
Alec Fenn: “Kyle Walker insisted his famous World Cup cramp meme was to thank for his incredible goal line clearance during Manchester City’s Community Shield win on Sunday.
“Liverpool Mohamed Salah had seen his first effort saved by goalkeeper Claudio Bravo at the end of a mazy run in the dying minutes but headed the rebound towards the vacant goal.
“Liverpool fans were ready to celebrate but Walker had other ideas and showed incredible athleticism to sprint back and then launch himself airborne and bicycle kick the ball clear.
“Later on Sunday night, Walker attributed the clearance to his ‘#Kyling’ finally paying off on the pitch.
All that #Kyling practice finally paid off! pic.twitter.com/BPDAxuTzXz
— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) August 4, 2019
“#Kyling became famous during last summer’s World Cup when the England international could not celebrate a victory because of the painful cramp he was suffering.
“Sunday’s game was finely poised at 1-1 when Walker produced his heroics after Joel Matip’s header had cancelled out a first half strike from Raheem Sterling.”
Transfer gossip
Bournemouth Echo: Man City and Leicester considering moves for Nathan Ake, reports claim
Tom Crocker: “Manchester City and Leicester are both weighing up moves for Nathan Ake this week, according to reports.
“Sky Sports claim that the Foxes are considering a bid for either Ake or Burnley’s James Tarkowski to replace Harry Maguire, who is set for a big-money move to Manchester United.
“Meanwhile, the Daily Express claim Man City are eyeing Ake after failing to seal a deal for Maguire.
“The tabloid states that the Premier League champions have been “keeping tabs” on the Dutchman since last season.”
