Calafiori and Donnarumma face off in Arsenal vs Man City: Confirmed lineups
Quick summary
Confirmed lineups have been announced for the Community Shield clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, with Italian players Riccardo Calafiori and Gianluigi Donnarumma in the spotlight.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAn Italian will walk away with their first piece of silverware of the 2026-27 season as Riccardo Calafiori and Gianluigi Donnarumma face off in the Community Shield being played between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
The Community Shield is the English equivalent of the Supercoppa Italiana: Arsenal have qualified as the reigning Premier League champions and will face off against 2025-26 FA Cup winners Man City.
Calafiori is selected to start at right-back for Arsenal while Donnarumma keeps his place in goal in what is Manchester City’s first competitive fixture under Italian head coach Enzo Maresca.
Enzo Maresca signs on as new Manchester City manager The Arsenal starting XI is still missing some of its star names such as Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice following their extended breaks after the 2026 World Cup.
Man City, meanwhile, are able to rely on Erling Haaland at centre-forward and have also named Elliot Anderson in the starting XI following his £116m transfer from Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal vs. Man City: Confirmed Community Shield line-ups – Calafiori and Donnarumma start LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal kisses the Premier League Trophy after their team’s victory in the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Havertz, Tzolis.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, Saka, Eze, Gyokeres, Merino, Zubimendi, Rice, Dowman.
Man City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Kovacic, Anderson; Semenyo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
Subs: Rulli, Guehi, Marmoush, Cherki, N.Gonzalez, Grealish, Ait-Nouri, Nunes, Lewis.
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What happened
Arsenal and Manchester City have revealed their starting XIs for the traditional English season curtain-raiser, the Community Shield. The Italian angle is notable with defender Riccardo Calafiori starting for Arsenal and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma between the posts for Manchester City. This match serves as an early-season barometer for both Premier League title contenders, offering Arteta and Guardiola a chance to test their squads ahead of the new campaign. The confirmed lineups provide clarity for prediction models and fantasy players alike.
Chance analysis
Community Shield lineups carry tactical weight as they often reveal early-season intentions from both managers. Arsenal under Arteta have used this fixture to blood new signings and test formations, while Guardiola's City selections indicate his tactical priorities. The direct matchup of Calafiori against City's attack and Donnarumma in goal provides a benchmark for evaluating both Italian internationals' adaptation to the Premier League. Early-season matches like this are low sample size but can signal squad depth and rotation patterns.
Confirmed lineups remove selection uncertainty for the Community Shield, with Calafiori and Donnarumma's performances offering early indicators of their Premier League readiness.
Use confirmed lineups to adjust match prediction models; note Calafiori's defensive positioning and Donnarumma's shot-stopping as key individual battles.