news-engine

Enzo Maresca has huge problem and may regret transfer decision as Man City humiliated by Arsenal It took Bruno Guimaraes just five minutes to win the hearts of Arsenal fans. The £75million man helped inflict an early psychological blow on title rivals Manchester City with a commanding 3-0 win in the Community Shield. Handed his first start since his protracted switch from Newcastle, the Brazilian bruiser left Jeremy Doku face down on the Principality Stadium turf. The challenge was marked by the first chant of ‘Bruno, Bruno, Bruno’ from Gunners supporters, who vastly outnumbered their Man City counterparts in the Welsh capital. Riccardo Calafiori’s opening goal inside 30 seconds was met with a rendition of ‘1-0 to the champions.’ By the time Kai Havertz added a 28th-minute second after being teed up by another of Arsenal’s new additions, Christos Tzolis, the glum-faced City fans were being asked: "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" And it wasn’t just in the stands where FA Cup holders City could not match the intensity of Arsenal but on the pitch too, epitomised by the tenacity of the Gunners’ new no.39. Lining up alongside the equally impressive Myles Lewis-Skelly in front of the back four, Guimaraes already looks right at home in a red and white jersey. As well as his ability to regain possession, Guimaraes was also able to show off his range of passing with a wonderful crossfield ball to set Noni Madueke off on a 22nd-minute attack. The biggest compliment you can pay Guimaraes is that Arsenal did not miss their usual midfield enforcer Declan Rice, who, like England teammate Bukayo Saka, was named on the bench having been given an extended post-World Cup holiday. Rice got a standing ovation when he replaced Guimaraes at half-time, but the new arrival should allow Mikel Arteta to manage his minutes as Arsenal look to defend their title and bid to end their quest for a first Champions League crown following last season’s near miss. A nightmare start for Maresca If the Gunners laid down a marker in a match that has tended to go the way of the cup winners over the past decade, it could hardly have been a worse first day at the office for new City boss Enzo Maresca. His side were all over the place defensively, with neither Josko Gvardiol nor Ruben Dias covering themselves in glory for Calafiori’s opening minute salvo. Mateo Kovacic and £116m Elliot Anderson were overran in midfield and Erling Haaland barely had a sight of the Arsenal goal. Meanwhile, wide men Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku were stifled by the Gunners' typically imperious back line. However, arguably the biggest issue of all for Maresca was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Man City's transfer regret? Donnarumma made it too easy for Calafiori to slot past him before parrying Havertz’s relatively tame header into his own far corner. The big Italian was then left on his backside as Martin Odegaard added a third goal early in the second half in what was rapidly becoming a humiliating afternoon for the Citizens. Maybe selling James Trafford to Leeds could come back to haunt Maresca and his paymasters. While the Community Shield can often prove a red herring for the season ahead, City looked a million miles away from wrestling the Premier League trophy back from Arsenal’s grasp.