The 2019/2020 football season gets underway on Sunday with the FA Community Shield match between Liverpool and Manchester City scheduled for Wembley Stadium. The game will be broadcast live at 3pm on all DStv packages as well as GOtv Max and Plus packages. The match will be available to DStv subscribers on SS3 and SS10, while GOtv subscribers will have access to it on SS Select 2.
“True to our promise to enrich the lives of our customers, we felt it important to kick off this new football season with a wider broadcast of the anticipated clash and make it inclusive for all our valued customers,” said Martin Mabutho, Chief Customer Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria.
The FA Community Shield, the traditional curtain raiser of English football, will see the revival of the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester City, the top two teams in England and, perhaps, all of Europe. While the Citizens dominated domestically by winning a treble of Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup, the Reds picked up the UEFA Champions League.
The two clubs have set incredible standards and will head into the start of the new Premier League campaign the following weekend as the clear favourites for the title.
In terms of off-season business, City have been the busier. Manager Pep Guardiola has brought in Angelino from PSV Eindhoven and midfielder Rodri from Atletico Madrid, with the latter viewed as a key acquisition and long-term successor to Fernandinho in the midfield.
Liverpool have been very quiet on the transfer marker, with their only signings being two teenagers-defender Sepp van den Berg from Dutch team, PEC Zwolle, and midfielder Harvey Elliot from Fulham. Meanwhile, they have released Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge.
Yet, it is the tactical battle between Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola that will be the fascinating aspect of this clash. The German will seek to refine his high-pressing style, while the Spaniard will once again bank on flexibility, fluidity and a crisp passing game to keep the team in light blue on top.
In head-to-head terms, City and Liverpool have met in 165 previous matches. The Reds have claimed 79 wins compared to 44 for the Citizens, while 42 games have been drawn. This will be the first meeting of the clubs in the FA Community Shield.
Last season City took four league points off Liverpool: a goalless draw in October 2018 at Anfield, followed by a 2-1 home in January, with goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane.
