Wembley Stadium will host a London derby as Premier League champions Chelsea and Arsenal, the 2014/15 FA Cup winners, cross swords in the Community Shield final tomorrow.
This is the third time that two London sides have met in the pre-season contest.
In 2005, Chelsea and Arsenal faced each other at the Millennium Stadium with the Blues winning 2-1 (Drogba 2 – Fabregas).
In the other showdown between two clubs from the capital, played in 1991, Arsenal and rivals Tottenham Hotspur kept the Shield for six months each after a 0-0 draw at Wembley.
Chelsea’s victories:
1955 – vs Newcastle 3-0.
2000 – vs Manchester United 2-0.
2005 – vs Arsenal 2-1.
2009 − vs Manchester United (on penalties).
Arsenal have won the Shield outright or shared the title on 13 occasions as follows:
1930 vs Sheffield Wednesday 2-1.
1931 vs West Brom 1-0.
1933 vs Everton 3-0.
1934 vs Manchester City 4-0.
1938 vs Preston 2-1.
1948 vs Manchester United 4-3.
1953 vs Blackpool 3-1.
1991 shared honour with Tottenham (0-0).
1998 vs Manchester United 3-0.
1999 vs Manchester United 2-1.
2002 vs Liverpool 1-0.
2004 vs Manchester United 3-1.
2014 vs Manchester City 3-0.
The pursuit of new signings in the pre-season transfer window has been hectic to say the least.
The contenders for the shield have bolstered their ranks as follows:
Chelsea – Asmir Begovic, goalkeeper from Stoke; Radamel Falcao, forward from Monaco – loan; Nathan, midfielder from Atletico Paranaense.
Outs – Ryan Bertrand, defender to Southampton £10m; Peter Cech, goalkeeper to Chelsea.
Arsenal – The Gunners have signed experienced goalkeeper Petr Cech, a shrewd move by Arsene Wenger.
Outs – Lukas Podolski, forward joined Galatasaray for £1.8m.
Cech transfer
Critics have already singled out goalkeeper Cech’s switch from Chelsea to Arsenal as probably the best transfer in the close season so far.
The 33-year-old keeper has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea’s Premier League rivals. Blues boss Jose Mourinho had the blessing of owner Roman Abramovich in allowing Cech to join the Blues’ neighbouring rivals despite strong opposition from the fans.
Both London teams are regarded among the favourites to challenge for the Premier League title.
Last season, Arsenal lost 2-0 to Chelsea (Hazard penalty, Costa) at Stamford Bridge and shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
In addition to Cech, in the blue corner Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas will be looking to put one over his former team.
In the only previous Community Shield meeting between the two rival managers, Mourinho steered Chelsea to a 2-1 triumph.
After the Emirates’ visit by Chelsea in the league last season, the 0-0 draw meant that the Frenchman has never defeated the Portuguese in the Premier League.
The duo also met in the League Cup final of 2007 when Mourinho’s team prevailed 2-1 and, in another tie from the same competition in 2013, the Portuguese also enjoyed the upperhand 2-0.
The biggest hiding for Wenger came in March of 2014 when Arsenal crashed to a 6-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal embarrassingly capitulated in Wenger’s 1,000th match in charge.
Fixtures
Community Shield
Arsenal-Chelsea (tomorrow at 16.00, Wembley)
Scottish Premier
Celtic-Ross County - 13.45
Hamilton-Partick
Inverness-Motherwell
Kilmarnock-Dundee
Tomorrow:
Hearts-St Johnstone - 13.30
Dundee United-Motherwell - 16.30
Scottish League Cup – First round
Annan-Queen of South
Ayr United-Brechin City
Berwick Rangers-Alloa Athletic
Dunfermline-Cowdenbeath
East Fife-Dumbarton
Hibernian-Montrose
Livingston-Clyde
Morton-Elgin City
Queen’s Park-Forfar Athletic
Raith Rovers-Albion Rovers
Stirling Albion-Airdrie
Stranraer-Stenhousemuir
Tomorrow:
Rangers-Peterhead - 16.00