Arsenal stars send a 'declaration of war' to Man City ahead of the Community Shield

The two forwards, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres, have both shown their resolve to beat Man City, enabling Arsenal to start the new campaign with the Community Shield trophy.

Arsenal will face Man City in the 2026 Community Shield match at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on August 16. Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, players of the reigning Premier League champions have been sending determined messages to their opponents.

In an interview published on the official website of the Football Association (FA), Gabriel Jesus admitted that Arsenal will face a huge challenge. The Brazilian striker knows Man City well, having spent several years playing at the Etihad, but noted that the opponent could show a different face under the leadership of coach Enzo Maresca.

Jesus shared: “They are a very difficult team to face. I know them very well because I played there for a few years. After changing the coach, they will become a different team. Man City still have many of the same players, but I think their style of play will change a bit.”

Despite showing respect for his former club, the 29-year-old striker affirmed that Arsenal's only goal is victory: “They are a team that has achieved a lot of success in the past, but we want to start the season well by winning more trophies.”

The fact that this year's Community Shield was moved from Wembley to Cardiff does not affect Arsenal's determination. Jesus emphasized: “Playing in a different stadium and city will bring a new feeling. However, that doesn't matter to us. The goal remains the same and Arsenal will go there to try to win.” 

Viktor Gyokeres also showed a similar spirit. When asked if Arsenal viewed the encounter with Man City as a pre-season friendly, the Swedish striker immediately dismissed the idea.

“A friendly against Man City? What do you mean? I don't know what others think, but of course we want to win that match. There's no debate about it,” Gyokeres stated after the friendly match against Dortmund.

The statements from Jesus and Gyokeres show that Arsenal does not view the Community Shield merely as a warm-up. After winning the Premier League last season, Mikel Arteta's squad wants to maintain a winning mentality and add another trophy to the cabinet.

On the other side, Man City also expressed similar ambitions. New signing Elliot Anderson stated that the opportunity to win a trophy in his first week at the club is special, and he hopes to get on the pitch to prove his ability against Arsenal.