The English football season will kick off on Saturday, August 10 with the traditional curtain raiser, the FA Community Shield. This time it will be Premier League champions Manchester City locking horns with city rivals and FA Cup winners Manchester United in a high-octane contest.
This will be the third Manchester derby at the Wembley Stadium in just over a year. Pep Guardiola's side will be gunning for revenge as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to United in the final of the FA Cup the last time these two teams met at the venue. City will also be without some of their key players, who are enjoying extended breaks with international duty.
For the Red Devils, a Community Shield triumph will be the perfect way to set the tone for the season ahead. However, they haven't had the best of preseason campaigns. Although Erik ten Hag's troops picked up two wins from three matches, they went down 0-3 to bitter rivals Liverpool in the final club friendly and were hit by an unprecedented injury bug.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this much-anticipated game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.
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Manchester United vs. Manchester City live stream, TV channel in Australia
Here's how to watch this FA Community Shield match in Australia:
TV channel: —
Live stream: Optus Sport
The 2024 FA Community Shield curtain raiser will be shown exclusively on Optus Sport in Australia. Subscribers can watch and stream the game live and on-demand with highlights and a mini match also to be made available.
What time does Manchester United vs. Manchester City kick off in Australia?
The clash takes place at Wembley Stadium in London and kicks off on Saturday, August 10 at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates to Australia's time
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Australian Central Standard Time | Sat, Aug. 10 | 11:30 p.m. |
| Australian Eastern Standard Time | Sun, Aug. 11 | 12:00 a.m. |
MORE: FA replace referee just days before Man United vs. Man City Community Shield clash
Man United vs. Man City lineups, team news
Red Devils' boss Erik ten Hag is grappling with a significant defensive crisis ahead of the Community Shield. The club has been dealt a series of injury blows, leaving the backline depleted.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka's recent injury adds to the defensive woes, with Diogo Dalot likely to be pressed into action at right-back. With Leny Yoro sidelined for an extended period, Harry Maguire recovering from injury, and Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof carrying knocks, Lisandro Martinez is the only fit central defender available.
The left-back position is also a concern. Tyrell Malacia remains injured, while Luke Shaw's lack of regular playing time suggests that young Harry Amass could be handed a starting role.
Man United predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Onana (GK) – Dalot, Martinez, Amass, Evans – Casemiro, Eriksen – Amad, Mount, Sancho – Rashford.
Injured: Tyrell Malacia (knee), Leny Yoro (ankle), Rasmus Højlund (hamstring)
Suspensions: N/A
City boss Pep Guardiola faces several selection conundrums as his side prepares to face Manchester United in the Community Shield. Ederson's goalkeeping position is uncertain, with Stefan Ortega likely to deputize for the Brazilian.
The absence of Kyle Walker, who has been granted additional time off following Euro 2024, further complicates matters for Guardiola. Rodri's fitness remains a concern, potentially providing an opportunity for Kalvin Phillips to feature.
In more positive news, Erling Haaland has impressed during pre-season, culminating in a hat-trick in the recent match against Chelsea. The Norwegian striker is expected to spearhead the City attack. The return of key midfielders Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva bolsters Guardiola's options.
Man City predicted X (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ortega (GK) – Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol – Phillips, Kovacic – Bobb, McAtee, Grealish – Haaland.
Injured: Ederson (eye socket fracture)
Suspensions: N/A
Man United vs. Man City prediction
- Prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City
The Cityzens are slight favourites to defeat the Red Devils in the Community Shield. Pep Guardiola's side enter the match with momentum following a strong pre-season campaign, and the return of key players like Jack Grealish is a significant boost.
Erling Haaland, despite his prolific goalscoring record, will be determined to improve upon his performance in the previous Wembley encounter between these two sides. While Manchester United have shown progress under Erik ten Hag, their defensive flaws could prove hefty against City’s strong attacking power.
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