Competition/Round: 2019 FA Community Shield – Final
Date/Time: Liverpool vs Manchester City – Sunday, August 4, 2018, 15:00 GMT (UK); 10:00 EST, 07:00 PST (USA)
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, England, UK
Match Officials:
Referee: Markin Aktinson
Assistants: Sian Massey-Ellis, Dan Cook
Fourth Official: Stuart Attwell
Reserve Assistant Referee: Neil Davies
TV Info: BT Sport 1
Live Stream: BT Sport Live (UK); ESPN+ (USA)
Radio: N/A
Preview:
English football has returned. The 2018/19 UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool will face England’s 2018/19 fourmidable Manchester City in the 2019 FA Community Shield. The Scousers went toe-to-toe with the Mancunians last season in the 2018/19 English Premier League title race, and these newly-established rivals will compete against one another for another piece of silverware.
Outside of this matchup, the FA also has a story of its own. Sian Massey-Ellis will become the first female to officiate in the Community Shield Final, where she will serve as one of the two assistant referees in this match. Martin Atkinson will officiate the final.
Team News:
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Naby Keïta and Alisson as the quadruple were involved in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2019 Copa América.
Manchester City are without Sergio Agüero, Nicolás Otamendi, Gabriel Jesus, Fernandinho and Ederson as the quintuple were also involved in the aforementioned tournaments.
Possible Lineups:
Liverpool
Formation: 4-3-3
Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Hnderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, Shaqiri
Manager: Jürgen Klopp
Manchester City
Formation: 4-3-3
Bravo; Walker, Stones, García, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Gündoğan, D. Silva; B. Silva, Sterling, Sané
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Prediction:
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have stressed the importance of this competition. As a result, both sides will look to field their strongest possible lineups.
Whilst preseason is an opportunity to experiment with their squads and formations, Liverpool drew one of their first four preseason matches and lost the other three. Meanwhile, Manchester City won three of their four preseason friendlies, albeit against weaker opposition. Nonetheless, it appears the Sky Blues are more prepared for this fixture than the Reds.
With this in mind, it is predicted this will be a tight affair between two very strong sides, but City will edge out in front by the end of extra time.
Liverpool 2-3 Manchester City after extra time