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Community Shield 2019: Liverpool or Manchester City? Stephen Warnock undecided ahead of high-profile clash
The new season will be starting on Sunday with both City and Liverpool facing off in 111th edition of the Community Shield at the Wembley Stadium
The 2018-19 season ended with Manchester City and Liverpool fighting out on the final day to decide the winner of the Premier League title. It was a thrilling battle but City were able to clinch the trophy by the finest of margins as they were just one point ahead of the Reds. The new season will be starting on a somewhat similar note on Sunday as both the teams will once again be vying for a piece of silverware when they face each other in the 111th edition of the Community Shield at the Wembley Stadium.
Last season, Manchester City and Liverpool were head and shoulders above their domestic competitors. While City and Liverpool finished on 97 and 96 points respectively, the third-placed Chelsea managed to finish with just 72 points. It was a heartbreak for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to miss out on the league title on the final day but they somewhat made up for it by claiming the UEFA Champions League title with a win over fellow English club Tottenham Hotspur. As a result, both teams come into Sunday’s game with their confidence sky high and it seems like the match can be decided once again by the finest of margins.
One such margin can be the transfer business done by the two clubs over this summer. While Manchester City added a number of players to their squad with Rodri joining from Atletico Madrid, Liverpool decided to not make any changes to their team. Former Liverpool and Leeds United defender Stephen Warnock believes that City have done smart business and Liverpool’s lack of movement in the summer transfer window can be a bit of a problem for the trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane who dominated the show last season and were responsible for the lion share of their goals.
“Liverpool invested heavily last season and that paid off with the new players performing brilliantly. This time, they have not gone for any player. This can result in a lack of competition for Mane, Salah and Firmino. Also, they will need a back-up striker in case of any injury. So, this decision to not buy players this season can go either way for Klopp & his men,” Warnock told Hindustan Times.
“On the other hand, Rodri is a splendid addition to the City team. He is like a Virgil Van Djik in the midfield. He is like a Rolls Royce who cruises and makes everything look so easy. Guardiola can play Fernandinho as centre back with (Vincent) Kompany leaving the team and use Rodri in the midfield. Also, I expect Manchester City to add a couple of new signings before the window ends,” he added.
The key to success for any team in the Premier League is confidence and when it comes to these two teams, a win in the Community Shield will be exactly the start that they will be looking for. City are the defending champions and that will give them a slight advantage over the Reds who will be playing the competition for the first time since 2008. However, Klopp has shown how effective his team can be and on their day, Liverpool are able to take down any opponent irrespective of their reputation.
When asked about his predictions, Warnock did not pick a clear favourite but he said that the match will surely be ‘entertaining’. “It is very difficult to predict. You have two of the best teams in Europe and two of best managers in the world. When they meet, the football is absolutely great and I think we will see much of the same. We cannot predict anything right now but it is surely going to be entertaining.”
Watch FA Community Shield- Liverpool vs. Man. City Live and Exclusive in India on Sunday, 4th August 2019 at 7:30 pm (IST) on Sony Ten 2 SD & HD channels
