Martin Keown insists Arsenal should treat Sunday’s Community Shield clash with Manchester City as far more than a glorified friendly as Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions begin the defence of their title.
The former Arsenal defender believes the Cardiff showdown provides the perfect opportunity for Arteta’s side to get an early taste of the pressure that comes with being champions while also giving them a chance to lay down a marker against a Manchester City side embarking on their first season without Pep Guardiola.
“It’s a dress rehearsal as well,” Keown said.
“I think it gives you an advantage because there is a lot of pressure building for the first match of the season and somehow you can get it out of the way a little bit.”
The Community Shield has often been dismissed by critics as a pre-season exhibition, but Keown remembers the importance Arsenal placed on the fixture during his playing career.
He recalled how Arsene Wenger would attach genuine significance to the occasion, particularly when Arsenal faced Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
“In our day, I think if we beat Manchester United then Alex Ferguson said it didn’t count, it didn’t matter,” Keown said.
“If they won it, that meant they were going to be champions. So, you want it in your photograph.”
Keown believes that winning the trophy can provide an important psychological boost before the serious business begins, particularly for an Arsenal side facing an extremely demanding opening period of the Premier League season.
“The first five or six games for Arsenal are really tough,” he said.
“So, I think you need to win that game to give the confidence to the group.”
The timing of the match does present Arteta with a difficult problem, however, with several of his players only returning from international duty this week.
Keown believes managing their minutes and getting them physically ready will be one of the manager’s biggest challenges.
“Some of the guys only got back Monday, which is just six days before,” he said.
“You usually get four weeks off and then two weeks you’re training. You have to do your own stuff. Nowadays, you really can’t switch off as a professional player.”
There is an additional fascination surrounding Manchester City, with Guardiola replaced by Enzo Maresca after establishing one of the most dominant periods in English football history.
“He’s one of the all-time greats,” Keown said.
“We’ve seen managers leave in the past and it affects them but you just need to concentrate on what you’re doing and that’s what this manager will do.”
For Arsenal, though, the challenge is not simply to beat City.
After finally ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League title, Keown believes Arteta’s players now have to embrace the expectations that come with being champions.
“They don’t need to play with any fear,” Keown suggested.
“Now they should be confident and really go after their opponents and not try to defend it, try and go and win it again.”
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