Community Shield: The curtain raiser to season ahead

Wigan has won 5 of 6 pre-season friendlies followed by the weekend 4-0 demolition of Barnsley.

The FA Community Shield 2013 sees last seasons Premier League Champions,Manchester United,pitted against FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic. Both teams secured their spots in this season fixtures at the expense of Manchester City. Manchester United wrapped up the league with a comfortable 11-point margin and Wigan Athletic edged the FA Cup through a Ben Watson stoppage time header to secure the clubs first major trophy.

The Community Shield is essentially the curtain raiser to the season ahead. All proceeds from the game are distributed to community-based initiatives across the country and all match day revenue is dispensed to the 124 clubs that participated in the FA Cup. Both teams have new managers who can attribute their appearance in this fixture to their predecessors success. David Moyes has not won a trophy since 2000,when Preston North End were crowned 2nd division champions and the last time that Owen Coyle tasted success was when he,along with John Hughes,co-managed Falkirk,together wining the Scottish Football League First Division title in 2003. Needless to say both want to begin their reins on a propitious note.

Wigan has started the 2013-14 campaign well winning 5 of 6 pre-season friendlies followed by the weekend 4-0 demolition of Barnsley in the Championship. Manchester United on the other hand has had a pre-season embroiled with transfer speculation and results,which read: 2 wins,2 draws,and 2 losses. David Moyes,evidently,is still getting to know his squad. Yes,youth players such as Adnan Januzaj and Jesse Lingard have impressed in preseason but the quest for a quality central midfielder has been elusive thus far. For Moyes,time to settle on a starting XI is running out. The Community Shield is his final warm up match before what is Uniteds toughest start to the season in years.

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We always use that game as a real test before the season starts, said Nemanja Vidic,Manchester Uniteds Captain,in his interview to the clubs official website. Although United are likely to have some key players Rooney,Nani,and Evans missing though injury,the squad that Moyes puts out on Sunday should give us an eye opener into his preferred XI for the season. With De Gea certain to start in goal,the back four are most likely to comprise Rafael,Vidic,Jones (perhaps Smalling),and Evra. The midfield five of Carrick,Cleverly,Giggs,Zaha and Kagawa are favourites to support the movements of Robin Van Persie.

United have an excellent record against their opponents. Both of last seasons league meetings ended in a 4-0 drubbing of Athletic and in their 17 meetings United have lost just once,winning 16 times at a combined score of 54-5. The last time that Coyle managed a side (Bolton Wanderers) against United,he conceded 8 goals over two games. But then again this is a new Manchester United,one without Sir Alex. A Manchester United that Moyes will have to make his own. A win on Sunday is expected and should appease the United fans albeit momentarily.

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