As the summer transfer window heats up and the speculation grows, people’s attention starts to turn to the new season as excitement grows for the upcoming campaign. Whether your team is in the top flight or not every football fan looks forward to the start of the Premier League, which is traditionally kicked off with the annual FA Community Shield.
Normally it’s two teams from the Premier League who both have their eyes on lifting the title come the end of the season who face off in a somewhat sparring match. But for the first time since 1980 the Community Shield will consist of a team from a lower league, with Championship team Wigan Athletic facing Champions Manchester United.
Wigan Athletic will be the first team from the championship to take part in the competition after suffering relegation last season. They claimed their place in the Community Shield by winning the FA Cup, famously beating Manchester City in a David vs. Goliath match, only to be relegated 3 days later loosing to Arsenal 4-1 at The Emirates confirming their departure from the top flight.
The match will give both Manchester United and Wigan Athletic fans alike a first look at their new managers. United fans will get to see the start of the new era under David Moyes.
There has been a lot of speculation of whom he will be bringing to Old Trafford, with Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini high on his wish list. But most fans will be wondering whether Wayne Rooney will still be wearing the famous red shirt next season as his exit seems increasingly likely, with several teams lining up bids after the 27-year-old made it clear he wants to leave by asking for a transfer. Will it be a different shade of red he is wearing next season, as reports are suggesting Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is lining a £20 million bid for the player and is willing to break the bank by offering him £170,000 a week in a 5-year deal making him the Gunners highest earner.
Wigan on the other hand will be preparing for life in the championship, after last seasons relegation. Owen Coyle has been named the new manager after Spanish manager Roberto Martinez left for pastures new at Everton. The 46-year-old former Burnley and Bolton manager has stepped into the hot seat at the DW Stadium and is set to start right away with Wigan Chairman saying he will start: “Immediately”. The 76-year-old Wigan Chairman also told BBC Sport: “I’ve told him returning to the Premier League is the total and utter priority. It’s Fantastic that we are in Europe but that comes second and he knows that the Premier League is where we have to be.”
It’s not all doom and gloom for Latics fans as they are set for an exciting European journey, following their qualification of the Europa League by winning the FA Cup. They are not the first team from the championships to play in Europe as Birmingham City did the same in the 2011/2012 season, after suffering relegation the previous year but also winning the Carling Cup beating Arsenal in the final.
In this years Community match everyone will expect United just to have to turn up to win the match, but as Wigan have proved before, they are dogged and hard to beat. Under Martinez they showed an attacking flair in which they played some excellent football but under Owen Coyle it will be a different Wigan. With the apparent rumors linking Martinez with several of his former players it will be interesting to see what side the Latics put out on their visit to Wembley.
Rumors also suggest Wigan’s promising young players: James McArthur and Callum MacManaman look likely to leave to club this summer with the Express reporting the Liverpool have joined the race with rivals Everton for the duo.
Manchester United are also set for fresh changes, with reports linking Portuguese wide man Nani with a move away from the club; Juventus and Monaco looking most likely to be his next destination. If you believe the Old Trafford faithful, Fabregas and Lewandowski could be at the Theatre Of Dreams in the coming months but don’t hold me to that.
I myself predict an open contest between the two sides, with counter attacking football being the key factor in what will hopefully be an open game for the neutrals. SkyBET has Wigan at 8/1 to win and Manchester United as favorites at 2/7.
I feel that United will be too strong for Wigan, given the quality and depth in their squad. So I’m for a 2-1 victory, Van Persie to score a 90th minute winner or is that too predictable?