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| "Watch carefully Carlitos.. Index finger into mouth, without touching the sides.." |
Just as football fans were teetering on the brink of insanity, the football season has finally returned in the shape of what could be the most explosive curtain-raiser in recent memory, the all Manchester Community Shield at Wembley.
Manchester United, the league champions, take on Manchester City, their conquerors and eventual winners of last year’s FA Cup in the inaugural match of the 2011/12 season.
Often derided as being nought but a meaningless friendly, this years season opener comes with a host of tasty subplots and intrigue, and of course the local derby tribalism which makes it impossible for this match to be regarded as unimportant corporate fodder.
In their three bouts last season, United gained the upper hand in the league, recording a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, memorable only for Wayne Rooney’s spectacular overhead kick, and being held to a forgettable draw at Eastlands, while City claimed FA Cup glory in eliminating their fierce rivals courtesy of a dramatic Yaya Toure goal at Wembley.
Roberto Mancini’s City team are still flush from ending that thirty five year wait for a trophy, and gearing up for the most important season in the club’s history as they embark on their first Champions League campaign. The anticipated influx of big-money names has yet to materialise, with the exception of the diminutive Argentine ace Sergio Agüero, but the feeling remains that City will be title-contenders under the Italian’s stewardship this season.
Manchester United, despite their outlay of close to £50M on young stars David De Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, have also had a relatively low-key pre-season but only a fool would seriously discount them from being a major force in both league and cup this year.
With Manchester clubs representing both teams in the Community Shield for the first time, a fierce sense of pride in their city will no doubt consume most Mancunians, though you’d be naïve to anticipate any sort of mutual appreciation or camaraderie amongst the two sets of fans.
After all, whether this is a meaningless showcase or a legitimate means to silverware, it remains a Manchester derby, and no matter what the stage or the occasion, no team will ever roll over in this fixture.
Tim Harvey
