While Thomas Tuchel’s Paris Saint-Germain delivered a comprehensive 4-0 shutout win over AS Monaco, their similar oil-rich rivals from across the channel, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, were delivering a similar result. Too much Sergio Aguero. The Argentine international bagged home a brace in the 13th and 58th minute to give Man City a 2-0 shutout win over Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea FC in the FA Community Shield. Aguero is the first-ever Man City player to hit home 200 goals for the club and the match is excellent preparation for their season debut on Aug. 12 away to Unai Emery’s Arsenal.
Never mind that it was, for the most part, one way traffic. Manchester City dominated shots (18 to five), shots on target (nine to two), possession (53 percent to 47 percent), passes (586 to 525) and pass accuracy (89 percent to 87 percent). Chelsea lacked their strongest possible squad to compete with the well-oiled (no pun intended) Citizen machine that is set to successfully defend its Premier League title, granted that it also has all of its members back, led by one Kevin de Bruyne.
“It was good to win the title so we are very happy and I am very happy to have scored but now we have to continue to win,” said Aguero. “Now it’s more important to win. The manager always says that we have to win, win, win so I am very happy.”
“Getting 200 league goals for Manchester City is a phenomenal amount, and I think he is the best striker in the Premier League, he was the hardest I played against, fantastic movement, pace and awareness,” said Rio Ferdinand of Aguero’s plaudits on BT Sport. “I would take him over Harry Kane. In terms of someone who is hard to play against, he brings so much off both feet, and with his movement and pace he offers all sorts of problems. Kane is a great player, but Aguero just takes it.”
However, it was the supporting cast that also delivered the goods for Manchester City and their youth face showcase featuring 18-year old prodigy Phil Foden, who could very well be the face of the club in years to come.
“Sergio Aguero was his usual ruthless self. He scored both goals and could have had more, but there was one other player who really caught my eye and that was (Phil) Foden,” said the Daily Mail’s Chris Sutton. “The England Under 17 World Cup winner stood out. His vision, his passing, his awareness, his coolness. This 18-year-old is turning into a man on the pitch and this season I hope we’ll see more of him in that sky blue shirt.”
Chelsea will have one more tune-up game to get their form right, against Bruno Genesio’s Olympique Lyonnais on Aug. 7 before getting their Premier League season underway away to Huddersfield Town on Aug. 11.
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