It was the sort of goalRiyad Mahrezhas tєɴԀed to score forManchester City, the kind that helped the Algerian strike 39 times in two seasons when he was not even always a first choice. Yet it was not Mahrez: he isgone to Al-Ahliand if a deluxe squad player looked irreplaceable, there came an illustration thatCityhave a potential successor with some similar qualities. But, even though it came in the first game since Mahrez’s departure, perhaps not for this season.
Out of the academy, off the bench,Cole Palmerscored City’s first spectacular goal at Wembley since Ilkay Gundogan two months earlier. This time it did not yield silverware: City’s last three competitive games, separated by the summer, have consisted of a trio of finals and they lost the least important, perhaps cruelly for Palmer, who had more ɾєɑȿօɴ to pronounce himself “gutted” than most.
As Arsenal bɾօυɢҺt in their £105 million signing, Declan Rice,CitybɾօυɢҺt on the local lad who cost them nothing. As Mahrez used to, he cut in from the right flank and curled in a shot with his left foot. As Mahrez increasingly was, he was a substitute; an impact sub at that. That impact was diminished by Leandro Trossard’s deflected 101st-minute equaliser and a loss in the subsequent shootout. Many a Community Shield can be forgotten; this might not be remembered as Palmer’s day after all.
But it was an illustration of ability, it remains to be seen where it will be glimpsed again this season.Cityhave not bought anyone to take over from Mahrez. Yet if there is a vacancy in a squad that, after Raheem Sterling left last year, now looks shorter of wingers, Palmer could still be headed for the exit. He has a queue of suitors andCitywill consider loaning him out. Brighton are thought to be keen. Burnley were, though they have a stack of wingers. Palmer may not take the path of Phil Foden, the young Mancunian who stayed in Manchester. If his route is into theCityside, he may require a long and winding road.
“He wanted to play more minutes last season,” Guardiola said. “We have to talk with the club. I don’t know what is going to happen with him to find a solution with him.” Palmer hinted that first-team football elsewhere may be preferable to cameos at the Etihad Stadium. “We’ll have to see what the ρłɑɴ is for next season and hopefully play as many games as possible,” he said.
He made the most of a quarter of regulation time at Wembley. It was enough to earn him the player-of-the-match award, albeit before the late drama added a different sheen to proceedings. When he entered proceedings, he seemed the lesser partner in a double act, bɾօυɢҺt on with Kevin de Bruyne. When they combined, the Belgian’s first assist of the season was rather overshadowed by the finish, curled around Aaron Ramsdale.
It was Palmer’s fifth goal forCity. A man who scored 52 last season had exited with an expected goals score of 0.00. It was a sign of the lack of service to Erling Haaland. As starting the season by drawing a blank in the Community Shield is now an annual routine, it feels less of a concern than the Norwegian’s underwhelming debut against Liverpool last year.
Haaland’s importance is obvious after a campaign that was the most productive of any player’s since Dixie Dean was in his heyday. If there is a ɾєɑȿօɴ to argue it is still greater this season it is because City’s two summer departures, Mahrez and Gundogan, had a shared attribute: each could prove prolific, whether from a deeper or wider position.
It was most useful in the false-nine years, the interregnum between Sergio Aguero and Haaland. They were the respective top scorers in the two previous seasons. Yet it is a skillsetCityhave yet to import: Mateo Kovacic has come in for Gundogan but rarely finds the net. So far, no winger has joined.
Guardiola started with technicians – in Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva – who are infrequent scorers. He began with two who got into double figures last season, Julian Alvarez and Haaland, who got half the way to triple figures. He bɾօυɢҺt on two more, in Foden and De Bruyne. Subdued at the start,Citylooked brighter with an injection of impetus from the Belgian and a moment of class from Palmer.
It was a reminder that they have often prospered by allying their assurance in possession with moments of individual brilliance, often from De Bruyne or Mahrez. But even as Palmer suggested he may be the heir to the Algerian, it was followed by the feeling that it will not be atCityjust yet.
