“Doesn’t get much better than winning a trophy at Wembley….”: Arsenal boss Arteta on Community Shield win against Man City

London [UK], August 7 (ANI): Following his side’s FA Community Shield title win against Manchester City, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Sunday expressed his happiness with the result, saying that it does not get much better than winning the trophy at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London by beating the “best team in the world”. 

Premier League 2022-23 runners-up, Arsenal, started the new season with a bang, beating last season’s treble-winner Manchester City 4-1 on penalties to lift the FA Community Shield.

“It feels great. I do not think it gets much better than winning a trophy at Wembley against the best team in the world, and especially the way we have done it,” said Arteta as quoted by Sky Sports. 

“It is great if the players are convinced they can beat every team. I think we showed real determination and fight to win the game.”

“The reason why we are here to win trophies for this club and make it successful. I have seen so many happy and proud people,” he concluded. 

With this, Arsenal have captured its 17th Community Shield title and is the second-most successful team in the trophy’s history. Manchester United, with 21 trophies, sits at the top. 

The Community Shield is a one-off match every year that serves as an opener to the domestic England football season calendar. It is contested between the winners of the Premier League and the FA Cup in the previous season.  Since Pep Guardiola-managed Manchester City won both competitions last year, they faced the 2022-23 Premier League runners-up Arsenal in the 101st edition of Community Shield.

The match went to penalties after the two sides were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation and extra time at Wembley on Sunday. 

City, which clinched the treble after winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, looked ready to add the fourth trophy to this year’s collection after a fine curling effort from Cole Parmer gave the defending champions a lead in the 77th minute. 

City looked in control in the extra time as well. But a last-gasp effort from Leandro Trossard deflected in off City’s Manuel Akanji, earning the Gunners a timely equaliser.

The 101st-minute strike sent the match into penalties. 

Taking the first penalty, Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard made it 1-0 in favour of his side. However, City’s Kevin De Bruyne missed from the spot.

Trossard scored again to make it 2-0 for Arsenal. However, a successful penalty conversion by Bernardo Silva made it 2-1 for City.

The next strike by Bukayo Saka raised pressure on treble winners, especially after Rodgri’s shot was saved by Ramsdale. 

Fabio Vieira made it 4-1 for Arsenal, sparking delirious scenes in the Gooner dugout. 

Arsenal, who lost to City in the race for the Premier League title last season in the late stages, fought until the very end to earn the bragging rights ahead of the Premier League season.

The Gunners will now hope to kick on from Shield glory to mount a robust challenge to the defending champions for the Premier League title.

Man City will start their Premier League title defence at Burnley on Friday while Arsenal will host Nottingham Forest a day later.