Manchester City’s pre-season preparations are complete as eyes now turn to the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side made history last season by becoming the first team to win the title four years in a row. The 2024/25 campaign will see them looking to extend that record to five years, but they are expected to be challenged again by Arsenal.

While eyes will be on the Premier League title, and the Champions League, City did pick up the first piece of silverware on offer. After defeat against rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup back in May, the same meeting took place in the Community Shield on Saturday afternoon

Alejandro Garnacho did put Erik ten Hag’s side 1-0 up, but Bernardo Silva’s 89th-minute equaliser saw the game go straight to a penalty shootout. Despite Silva’s miss from the first spot kick, City came out as 7-6 victors thanks to misses from Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans.

The Community Shield is usually a decent indicator of managers’ plans for the new season. With that in mind, here are the winners and losers for City from the game.

Winners

James McAtee

After spending last season on loan with Sheffield United, McAtee will be looking to make an impact in the first team at the Etihad Stadium throughout the upcoming campaign. The academy graduate has started every pre-season game for City.

He continued to impress against United at Wembley Stadium. He played 80 minutes of the game and came close to giving City the lead, only being denied by the post.

Following the match, Guardiola made his stance on the midfielder clear ahead of the final weeks of the transfer window. “It is difficult to find players with a sense of goal in small spaces who attack the final third and McAtee has that quality,” he said.

“That’s why I said to Txiki at the beginning of the season that I don’t want to loan him and I don’t want to sell him because I need his specific quality in small spaces. James has this ability.”

Oscar Bobb

Another academy graduate who will be looking to make an impact on the first team squad. Unlike McAtee, Bobb didn’t go out on loan last season and made 14 first team appearances, scoring once and providing one assist.

Bobb has again been a regular in the starting lineup during pre-season. His performance against United at Wembley earned him the man of the match accolade as he provided the assist for Bernardo Silva’s equaliser.

If Bobb continues his form into the Premier League, then he could establish himself as a new undroppable for City.

Despite his performances, Guardiola knows that Bobb can offer more, and he should have a chance to do that in the upcoming season.

“Sometimes he had the chance to take the ball and go and he was a little bit passive,” Guardiola said.”He has something unique; he stopped then go, first one or two steps, right or left are unbelievable.

“The goal, how he turns and make the cross, huge quality. He has incredible values and work ethic. He has the ability to do it and he can do it more regularly.”

Savinho

The summer signing replaced Jeremy Doku in the 64th minute and made an impact in the game. It was his first appearance for the club since his £35 million move, and he showed signs that he could make an impact this season.

Wearing Riyad Mahrez’s old shirt number, his first touch has already been compared to the Algerian. While his performance wasn’t perfect his introduction did add a bit of extra spark to the City performance for the final 25 minutes.

Losers

Kalvin Phillips

One player who needs to play himself into form is Kalvin Phillips, but the fact that he didn’t make it off the bench is not a good sign for the former Leeds man. In search of game time, the midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan with West Ham United, but it was a spell that he probably wants to forget with several poor performances for his loan club.

Phillips is expected to leave City before the end of deadline day. Everton are the club who have been most heavily linked, and a lack of minutes against United could hint at a potential transfer.

Jack Grealish

It’s a big season for Grealish, given that he struggled for form in 2023/24. But he was handed a blow before the match at Wembley with the forward ruled out through injury.

After playing a full part in the pre-season games, he was expected to at least feature against United with Grealish described as “not fully fit”.

It is unknown yet if the problem will rule him out of the season opener against Chelsea. But his absence will have let other players stake their claim for a place in the starting XI for that game, as well as Grealish missing out on vital minutes for fitness.

Stefan Ortega

Ortega and Ederson have shared the minutes in goal so far over pre-season. But Ederson got the nod for the Community Shield.

It hints that despite his heroics towards the end of last season, Ortega will still be behind the Brazilian in the pecking order. It comes after Ederson confirmed that he will be staying at City beyond this summer, despite interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League.