After months of waiting, we are finally starting to see top flight football once more. There is plenty of excitement heading into the FA Community Shield title between Manchester City and Chelsea on Sunday. Manchester City are coming off the best Premier League campaign in history and are looking to repeat as champions. City broke numerous records on their way to last year’s title and are favorites to win the Premier League again.
As for Chelsea, the club is entering a new era. Just two seasons after winning the Premier League, Antonio Conte was unceremoniously dumped a few weeks ago. He is being replaced by Maurizio Sarri, who will relish the opportunity to win a trophy in his first real match as Chelsea’s manager.
Don't miss the 2018 FA Community Shield taking place at Wembley Stadium in London, England at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 5, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN Plus.
2018 FA Community Shield Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chelsea +242
Manchester City +100
Draw +248
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
The change from Conte to Sarri is a massive one for Chelsea. Both managers are extremely concerned with tactics and running their system their own way. However, while Conte wanted his club to be sound on defense and counterattack when able, Sarri wants his team to be constantly moving and creating in order to find goals.
It’s going to take time to make that kind of change, especially because Sarri has only come on as manager recently. If he had more time to work with the club, they would be more ready for his system, but at this point they won’t be.
That’s certainly not the case for Manchester City. Even though Pep Guardiola will field a lot of substitutes on Sunday, they are very familiar with his system and his tactics. Guardiola relies on possession and having his team constantly probe the defense in order to find weaknesses. He gives these tactics a boost with individual minute instructions to his players, and it has been a smashing success at both Barcelona and City.
Key Absences
Neither team is going to be at full strength heading into this match as some key players that participated in the World Cup are still out for both sides.
For Chelsea, the club will be without the services of their three best players in Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante, and Thibaut Courtois. Hazard is the man that makes it all come together in the midfield, and he looks to be back at Stamford Bridge this season after transfer talks with Real Madrid fell apart. Courtois received the Golden Glove as the World Cup’s best goalkeeper, and there is a chasm between him and Willy Caballero, who was arguably the worst goalkeeper at the World Cup. Kante was the Premier League Player of the Year two seasons ago, and he is known as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Manchester City will be without even more of their players for this one. No club sent more players to the World Cup than City, and they will feel their absence here even though some players are starting to come back. Kevin De Bruyne is going to miss this match as he is still on holiday, and Raheem Sterling is unlikely to play as well for similar reasons. Additionally, blockbuster acquisition Riyad Mahrez is almost sure to miss the match because of a nagging injury, and Danilo is injured as well.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
If Sarri had more time to work with Chelsea, I would love the Blues at these odds. However, given the circumstances, I have to go with the best team in England. Manchester City will be licking their chops at the prospect of facing Caballero, and they will be relentless on the attack.
2018 FA Community Shield Odds: Manchester City 3, Chelsea 1
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