Does the Community Shield tell us anything about the Premier League season?

Sean Fisher
7 August 2021

Kelechi Iheanacho Leicester winner Community Shield

Leicester beat Manchester City 1-0 in the curtain-raiser to the season but does winning the Community Shield have a positive effect on your campaign? Planet Sport finds out.

Leicester City were celebrating at Wembley again after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the Community Shield.

The FA Cup winners were good value for their victory and will be hoping it can provide the launching pad for a successful Premier League campaign.

Last season's event saw Arsenal lift the shield after a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Liverpool following a 1-1 draw in normal time.

But Arsenal's win didn't translate to success in the league as they limped to an eighth-placed finish, leaving them with no European soccer for 2021/22.

The Gunners are not the only club to have failed to build on a Community Shield win. In fact, since 2000, only six winners of the event have gone on to win the Premier League title in the same season.

A good omen or a curse to the winners? Planet Sport looks at how previous Community Shield winners have performed in their subsequent Premier League campaigns. Leicester City take note.

The success stories

Manchester United - 2007/08, 2008/09, 2010/11

Manchester United, 2010, Community shield

Manchester United currently hold the record for the most Community Shield wins, with 21 - seven of which have come since the turn of the century.

However, despite their domestic dominance during this period, which includes a further seven Premier League titles, the Red Devils have still only managed to win the Community Shield and Premier League in the same season on three separate occasions.

All of United's Community Shield successes in the 21st century came within a triumphant four-year spell (2007/08-2010/11) for Sir Alex Ferguson's side, who also went on to win the Champions League in 2007/08.

Chelsea - 2005/06, 2009/10

Wedged in between Manchester United's success is Chelsea's 2009/10 campaign, meaning that for four consecutive seasons, the side that won the Community Shield also went on to win the league title.

However, outside of those four seasons, the Premier League and Community Shield double has only occurred twice since 2000.

One of those was in 2005/06 when Chelsea scooped the silverware during Jose Mourinho's emphatic spell in London.

After winning the league at the first time of asking in 2004, Mourinho built on his success by beating London rivals, Arsenal 2-1 in the Community Shield, before going on to defend their Premier League title.

Manchester City - 2018/19

The only other occurrence of the double was Manchester City, who were the most recent side to achieve Premier League success following a Community Shield win.

In the 2018/19 season, Pep Guardiola's side started their campaign strongly with a 2-0 win over FA Cup winners Chelsea in the Community Shield.

The win proved to be the catalyst for City's remarkable treble-winning season as they scooped all available domestic titles.

The disasters

Arsenal - 2017/18, 2020/21

Arsenal boast a pretty impressive record in the Community/Charity Shield, winning it 16 of the 23 times they have appeared.

However, if recent form is anything to go by, then success in the Community Shield might not be a good omen for the Gunners.

In the most recent 2020 Community Shield, Arsenal overcame Liverpool on penalties to claim the title, after initially playing out a 1-1 draw in normal time.

But the two sides ended up having drastically different seasons in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's first full season ended in a disappointing eighth-placed finish, whereas Jurgen Klopp's side rallied late on to finish third.

Arsenal suffered a similar fate after their 2017 Community Shield win over Chelsea. Arsene Wenger's side won 4-1 on penalties before toiling to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Manchester United - 2013/14, 2016/17

After covering their successes, it's only fair to show Manchester United's dismal failures following success in the Community Shield.

Following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, the winds of change were blowing around Old Trafford following the appointment of David Moyes.

Inheriting a title-winning side, Moyes' first task as United boss was to add to their trophy collection in the Community Shield, where he was pitted against surprise FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic.

Wigan's shock FA Cup win over United's rivals Manchester City was quickly followed by their relegation from the top flight, meaning they were the first side to appear in the Community Shield outside of the top division since West Ham in 1980.

Therefore, it's perhaps not surprising that United eased past Wigan 2-0 to hand Moyes his first, and only, silverware at the club.

After their Community Shield success, United struggled to adapt to life under Moyes, and they eventually finished seventh, over 20 points behind title-winners City.

With Moyes gone, United continued their post-Ferguson rebuild and ended up with Jose Mourinho in the hot-seat for the 2016/17 season.

Louis van Gaal had won the FA Cup with United but was still sacked, meaning Mourinho's first task was to win the Community Shield against 5000/1 Premier League champions Leicester City.

Manchester United edged the game 2-1, with star signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic typically stealing the headlines with his 83rd-minute winner.

However, United struggled to shine in the following Premier League season and were again left outside the Champions League qualification spots in sixth.

Silver medal specialists

Manchester United - 2000/01

It's sometimes the case that the team that loses the Community Shield goes on to win the Premier League in the following campaign - something Manchester United achieved in the 2000/01 campaign.

In the final Community Shield match at the old Wembley Stadium, Manchester United fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

There's a strong possibility that Sir Alex Ferguson's players were still hungover from the 1999 treble celebrations, but luckily for the Red Devils, they regained focus for the Premier League season.

United ended up winning their 14th league title with 80 points, 10 clear of second-placed Arsenal.

Arsenal - 2003/04

Any team would be happy to lose the Community Shield if their season ended up like this one.

Arsenal lost the 2003 Community Shield on penalties to rivals Manchester United, but quickly put the loss behind them as they went on to achieve greatness.

Manchester United, Arsenal, 2003, Community Shield

In a season that has become soccer folklore, Arsene Wenger's side went the entire 2003/04 Premier League season unbeaten, earning his side the nickname 'The Invincibles'.

The record-breaking season was rewarded with a unique gold trophy to credit their achievements. A comforting thought for the losers of Saturday's clash.

Manchester City - 2011/12

Losing the Community Shield in 2011 also resulted in a record-breaking season for Manchester City.

Under Roberto Mancini, Manchester City started out on their path to domestic dominance and they managed their first cup in 2010 with a 1-0 victory over Stoke City in the FA Cup.

The win meant City were set to face Premier League champions and cross-city rivals, Manchester United in the annual Community Shield.

After taking a 2-0 lead before the half-time break, City were subjected to one of United's famed comebacks, completed by Nani late into injury time to seal a 3-2 win.

The defeat was quickly forgotten by City as they marched on to their first league title in over 40 years, helped, of course, by Sergio Aguero's iconic winner against QPR.

Liverpool - 2019/20

Another Community Shield defeat, another record-breaking season - this time it was Liverpool's turn, who had come so close to winning their first league title in 2018, only to have it snatched from them by Manchester City.

In similar circumstances, City scooped the 2019 Community Shield from under Liverpool's noses, courtesy of a 5-4 penalty shootout win.

Liverpool had added a Champions League to their trophy cabinet the season prior, but after a 30-year drought, it was the Premier League they desired most.

Their Community Shield defeat led most to believe that Liverpool were still inferior to Pep Guardiola's City. However, the Reds finally beat their demons to lift the Premier League, finishing 18 points clear of City in second.