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Arsenal brushed aside Manchester City on Sunday to win the Community Shield, bringing the traditional season curtain-raiser to a close for another year.

Many still regard it as little more than a glorified friendly, and not even the sort of game that demands 16 Conclusions. But that was never going to stop people from drawing sweeping conclusions from Arsenal’s 3-0 victory.

So here are some of the biggest knee-jerk reactions from the 2026 Community Shield…

Arsenal have already got the title wrapped up

Arsenal made City, who are presumably their nearest rivals in this season’s title race if Liverpool and Chelsea are still a bit early in their new eras, look surprisingly ordinary. That is, of course, if we ignore Johnny and his logic.

So does that mean the reigning champions will cruise through their title defence?

Obviously not. It is much too early for that. They were already the clearest favourites for the title, and beating City has only strengthened that standing.

But title races are rarely straightforward, especially where Arsenal are concerned. Even last season, they threatened to make things difficult for themselves. Bottle this, bottle that.

Maybe finally getting over the line was exactly what they needed to launch a more dominant period. Just look at PSG in the Champions League and how a side that waited so long for a specific title can suddenly hold on to it once they finally crack the formula.

Then again, even Arsene Wenger’s great Invincibles team failed to retain the title. This Premier League race will not be simple for Arsenal, or for any of the teams trying to take the crown off them.

Would anyone be shocked if they are lifting the trophy again in May? Not at all. Do we already know for certain that it will happen? No.

Elliot Anderson looks like a huge overspend

This reaction did not even need the Community Shield to begin. The £116m Manchester City paid for Anderson had already caused raised eyebrows from the moment the transfer was completed.

And on his competitive debut for City, Anderson did little to change that conversation.

Among City’s outfield starters, only Jeremy Doku posted a worse pass-completion rate than the costly new midfielder. Anderson also did not win a single tackle and managed only one interception.

Coming on the same weekend that City approved Barcelona’s latest offer for Rodri, it underlined just how much attention their midfield, and Anderson in particular, will attract this season.

On this early evidence, a double pivot of Anderson and Mateo Kovacic does not look workable. There will be cries of flop from the start for Anderson, and perhaps the usual calls for Nico Gonzalez to be given a chance ahead of Kovacic.

Anderson may still go on to be a major success at the Etihad. He is a gifted 23-year-old with room to improve. But at City, you are expected to settle quickly, and that may not be easy for him.

It has been a summer of overspending across the Premier League. Anderson may yet prove to be the biggest example of all.

Maresca will not survive the season

Before Enzo Maresca, only one Manchester City manager had ever lost his first match in charge by a three-goal margin, and that was all the way back in 1906. Through a century of pre-takeover mediocrity, it never happened again.

Just as Anderson is under pressure because of his transfer fee, City’s new manager is under immediate scrutiny for something beyond his control: replacing Pep Guardiola is a deeply unenviable assignment.

Comparisons between the two were always going to happen, and Maresca is unlikely to come out ahead in them. If heavy defeats like this continue, matters could reach breaking point very quickly.

We have seen this pattern before in Manchester. When a long-serving icon such as Sir Alex Ferguson left, David Moyes lasted only until April of his first season.

Maresca is a capable coach, but he may not be the man to thrive in Guardiola’s shadow.

On the other hand, clubs that have had one manager for a long period can sometimes resist acting too soon on the next appointment. Maresca probably will not be the first manager sacked this season, but there is no certainty he will still be there this time next year.

Havertz will beat Gyokeres in the striker battle

During Arsenal’s years of nearly but not quite, it often felt as though all they lacked was a Proper Striker.

So last summer they spent £55m to sign Viktor Gyokeres. And then Arsenal went on to win the league.

Yet while Gyokeres had a respectable campaign, he never entirely convinced.

For the Community Shield, Mikel Arteta turned instead to attacking-midfielder-turned-forward Kai Havertz. By scoring Arsenal’s second goal, he took his chance well.

More broadly, Arsenal looked freer and more expressive than they often did last season. Put another way, they actually played a bit. If that continues, and that in itself may be a knee-jerk leap, then the style appears to suit Havertz more than Gyokeres.

Tzolis could be a signing of the season contender

It is fair to say Christos Tzolis has not received a huge amount of attention since joining Arsenal. The links with Vinicius Junior, who would have represented an immediate upgrade, did not help.

But Arsenal bought Tzolis for a reason, and he started to show why against City. He became the first Arsenal player since Willian to register two assists on debut. And we all know how that worked out afterwards…

Still, Tzolis has every chance of making a real impact for Arsenal this season. In an era where players are increasingly judged by goals and assists, he usually produces both.

Whether he can sustain that over time is another matter. Arsenal already discovered last season with Gyokeres that exceptional numbers in a weaker league do not always carry over neatly into the Premier League.

Tzolis could hardly have done more with his first impression. And in this market of inflated transfer fees, might £34m end up looking like a bargain?

Lewis-Skelly has rescued his Arsenal career

There has been plenty written recently about Myles Lewis-Skelly in the rumour columns. Is he truly part of Arsenal’s plans or not?

It took him barely 30 seconds to offer his answer. His smart turn and pass for Riccardo Calafiori led to the opening goal of the Community Shield.

Suddenly Lewis-Skelly, the player who forced his way into Arsenal’s midfield by the end of last season only to see his prospects there threatened by the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, was right back in the picture.

Both players started the Community Shield, though it would be unwise to read too much into that selection as a definitive clue to Arteta’s long-term preferences.

Still, Lewis-Skelly’s contribution was a timely reminder that he can still shape Arsenal’s season. He is only 19, after all.

These are the performances he must keep producing if he is to save his Arsenal career. He may just be starting to do exactly that.

Zubimendi is now no better than fourth choice

Tied to the Lewis-Skelly resurgence is the possibility that Martin Zubimendi now has reason to wonder where he stands in Arsenal’s plans.

He looked a sound signing when he arrived from Real Sociedad last summer, but by the end of the season he was exhausted and his form tailed off.

A summer break should have helped, but a World Cup summer is never normal. He played only once, yet being part of a Spain squad that went all the way has still thrown his preparation out of line.

Zubimendi is now fighting to rediscover his best level at Arsenal. There have already been whispers about a possible departure.

Unless he can force his way ahead of Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice, it may become something he has to think seriously about.

It still feels likely that Zubimendi will remain at Arsenal when the transfer window closes, but if he does, he has plenty to do to climb back up the pecking order.

Khusanov cannot play at right-back

City had to make an unexpected adjustment when Matheus Nunes pulled out before kick-off.

That meant Abdukodir Khusanov was used as a makeshift right-back, and he struggled badly with what Arsenal threw at him.

City will now be anxiously waiting on the extent of Nunes’ injury. He too was once a stop-gap option at right-back, but has since become firmly established as their main choice there.

Khusanov, still only 22, has time to learn, but based on this display he looked out of his depth on the right and should probably remain in central defence.

If that is the case, City may need to move quickly for a new right-back if Nunes is facing a serious lay-off. Chelsea can now ask whatever they want for Malo Gusto.

City’s three behind the striker are not title-winning quality

With one of the best strikers in the world leading the line, even if he was mostly anonymous against Arsenal, City usually feel secure about their attack.

But the trio selected behind Erling Haaland against Arsenal did not look like one that will worry title rivals, at least not on this evidence.

Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo were picked on the wings, with Phil Foden operating as the number 10.

Is that a trio good enough to power a title challenge? The answer is not yet clear. It depends which version of Foden appears this season and whether the wide players can sharpen their end product.

We know Semenyo has the ability because of what he produced for Bournemouth in the first half of last season. But can he make the leap at City, or has he simply been asked to step too far?

Semenyo and Doku created two chances each against Arsenal, while Foden created none. Haaland will require far better service if he is to be at his most dangerous this season.

The Odegaard redemption arc is under way

By contrast, Arsenal’s attacking midfielder showed signs of a revival after a season in which his game had stalled.

It is remarkable that Martin Odegaard had not scored for Arsenal at any point in 2026 until this match, but he now has the opportunity to turn things around.

His World Cup campaign, which brought four assists in five matches, had already offered encouraging signs. Now he also has a goal against City before the proper league season begins.

With only two years left on his contract, this is a hugely important campaign for Odegaard. If he underperforms again, Arsenal could be tempted to cash in next year while they still can.

But at 27, he should still be operating at his peak. Arsenal need creativity in midfield, and Odegaard has the quality to provide it when he is at his best.

Only time will tell how long this revival lasts, but it has started.