Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City opener was startlingly bad

<p>The Community Shield isn’t always a sign of things to come, but City’s form in their defeat to Arsenal is concerning in the wake of Pep Guardiola’s departure</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ablink.editorial.theguardian.com/ss/c/u001.HesXJ57d0x1owJZ-aZPL3dMFWr92HeUFQk2v_wBSJ_UtgE-pwHb4UgXNOWZZo0YVZJBNA466czTQIHYkKVqTI9FbndSRgUGOn_atIxvHB4OIEEz2m_wGI6wjCftko7YS9MMFdV2V2kej0xcmOmoBXmjbB--qhVJJ5qYS1-blYec6qn7YrMvVgCdNtafv_bZnI2C22P8nR2Rexupn_Kff5t15-sUKGxOuuLsjzueYCOKMkIRH0y3TM50zFWg3eiySB_f0OrUZW20MKwQijEPxWM8j8K8FgJUDFq0UBsSz7fnxZVOdvQNFPkRWUP6d8_9G5DXeJwMkZmOK2nDVkWwaprqFe7oD_XiAObNLhzOvUzWIv9H0aboremLyZFd-PFrqgbWPGxXbMvoBUTjZQozEP0cOw-jaCxSN3M-vdBTGcW3y2-_KcncD2qH0YFXyyDbKvzCqHYRVxUoZRnmPJu7yrk8LYAEszMRBv70bjEt6gzCe_cpGyeU_cycgKwMcy6XY0gx1QJQ42RDqnEJbkbMqWV6qQ8dJ1snYcJoJgGNpIFQwT_v2gWCsQL4YLycdy8LimuEE93d19KPm7YcAfeRkkdpIYqOA_4RjTIfljhfPWQiZ2Zku3o4YLgbYmCI4Q8amrlmfcHZBRjnlSa0aSWAcl2_C-LdgSNSjzp3UVJEoK5ErbGB7y2wMmYFW4XFuMsJwY39cNnuXtai0KUScOWEq_Kazcl-h-Q8aW9ZW8_kYjKd3o-v-xB3F8FiPmzgxUPpPhXzlgWyafN5Lousau1MeUsj7F2t8D9bz-htDSJBhxa3UzV_KYASEfu8I-BP1Lcu5vgIyBHiCZ-d4AOkxlnYmJfmEk9bchuQOTSteSmobBqSVj9lACDD28THVzr-9Jiir4pCTRLvQdP6RSosk5IU4RRB3uvpLbJCiyPPEnDWdoDQ/4sv/_cL6eyULTK-hnMecuCHjAA/h4/h001.Pgd0JYAKUKFYteb42uadCRY_3qTaxXbiO2ZbBifYHV8"><strong>Sign up for our free newsletter here</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>There are caveats. It was only the Community Shield – and no side has gone on to win the league after lifting the Community Shield since 2018. It was against the league champions, whose pre-season has involved far less strenuous travel than their own. By the time the season really gets going, there will be greater clarity in central midfield, with Rodri <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/16/rodri-set-to-complete-barcelona-move-after-manchester-city-accept-654m-bid">set to complete his move to Barcelona </a>imminently. But this was a st