The Gunners produced a dominant display against the FA Cup holders, with Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and captain Martin Ødegaard finding the net as Mikel Arteta's side secured the first major piece of silverware of the 2026/27 campaign.
Calafiori makes history
Arsenal needed only 23 seconds to take the lead.
Myles Lewis-Skelly picked out Calafiori with an excellent pass, allowing the Italian defender to finish calmly beyond Manchester City's new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The strike was reported as the fastest Community Shield goal since 1968, immediately putting City under pressure.
The early goal gave Arsenal confidence, while City struggled to establish control under new manager Enzo Maresca.
Havertz doubles Arsenal's advantage
Arsenal continued to dictate proceedings and eventually doubled their lead through Kai Havertz.
The German forward finished from a Christos Tzolis assist in the 28th minute, leaving City with a mountain to climb before half-time. Tzolis was one of Arsenal's standout performers, playing a key role in the attacking moves that produced the goals.
David Raya also played an important role for Arsenal, making crucial interventions as City attempted to find a route back into the contest.
Ødegaard completes the rout
Arsenal effectively sealed the trophy shortly after the restart when captain Martin Ødegaard scored the third goal in the 48th minute.
Tzolis was again involved, providing the assist as Ødegaard finished to complete a convincing 3-0 victory.
The result gave Arsenal their fourth Community Shield victory over Manchester City and maintained their perfect record against City in this particular fixture.
Strong warning to Premier League rivals
Beyond the trophy, Arsenal's performance offered an early indication of their ambitions for the new season.
The Gunners ended their long wait for a Premier League title last season and are now targeting back-to-back league championships, while also hoping to challenge for further domestic and European honours. Ødegaard said after the victory that the team had demonstrated they were ready and serious about competing for more trophies.
For City, the defeat marked a difficult competitive debut for Maresca following his appointment as Pep Guardiola's successor. The 3-0 loss was also one of the heaviest defeats suffered by a Manchester City manager in his first match in charge.
With the Premier League season set to begin on August 21, Arsenal will take confidence from their commanding Community Shield performance, while City face an early task of rebuilding and responding to a disappointing start.
