LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was a satisfied man after seeing the Gunners outplay Manchester City to win the FA Community Shield 3-0 at Wembley writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

“Winning gives us a positive platform,” said Wenger, “but now the Premier League starts and we have to start well at home against Crystal Palace. It’s a derby and it will be a different type of game so we have to keep on our toes.

“Today it was important for our confidence to win but even more important was the quality of our performance.”

Wenger was full praise for Calum Chambers, the new young fullback signing from Southampton, who was outstanding in central defence in the absence of World Cup-delayed Per Mertesacker.

He said: “For a 19-year-old it was an outstanding performance and what he did is very promising and impressive because he has not a long history in this position and I  think he has a good career in front of him.”

Counter-attack threat

Wenger also praised new France rightback Mathieu Debuchy as “excellent” and acknowleged that Chilean Alexis Sanchez, who played only the first half, was “lively and very exciting and dangerous and always a threat and gives us great qualities on the counter attack.”

City manager Manuel Pellegrini acknowledged that “in the first half we didn’t defend very well [but] we had important players out so I think today was a test but also brought to our attention a lack of pace.”

Pellegrini would not be drawn on whether England goalkeeper Joe Hart would be recalled for City’s opening Premier fixture at Newcastle. He said: “All our 22 players must demonstrate who is No1 in their position.”

Hart’s absence meant that City started without any English players in their line-up.

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