Arsenal and Manchester City meet on Sunday for the Community Shield, with the Premier League champions taking on the FA Cup holders in English football's traditional curtain-raiser, according to BBC News.
While the match kicks off the season with silverware on the line, its broader significance remains debatable. As BBC News notes, history offers little proof that Community Shield success translates into a triumphant campaign that follows — it's often treated as a glorified friendly rather than a genuine indicator of form.
Still, for Arsenal, lifting the trophy would offer an early opportunity to add to their title-winning campaign, while City will be eager to show they can begin building momentum after their cup heroics last season. Whatever the outcome, Sunday's clash serves as the traditional opening statement of the new Premier League season, even if pundits and history suggest it means little in terms of predicting who lifts the big prizes come May.