2020 FA Community Shield
The 2020 FA Community Shield was an annual association football match that served as the traditional season opener for English top-flight clubs, contested between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup.[1] It took place on 29 August 2020 at Wembley Stadium in London, pitting Liverpool—the 2019–20 Premier League champions—against Arsenal, the 2019–20 FA Cup winners.[2][3] Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the fixture was played behind closed doors without spectators.[4] The match ended in a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes, with Arsenal securing a 5–4 victory in the penalty shoot-out to lift the trophy for the 16th time in the competition's history.[5] Arsenal took the lead in the 12th minute through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who converted a penalty assisted by Bukayo Saka after a foul on the latter in the box.[6] Liverpool equalized in the 73rd minute via substitute Takumi Minamino, who finished a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.[6] In the shoot-out, Liverpool's Rhian Brewster saw his effort hit the crossbar, handing Arsenal the win after both teams converted their first four penalties.[6] This victory marked Arsenal's fourth Community Shield triumph in five years and extended their strong record in penalty shoot-outs, having won nine of their last 11.[5] For Liverpool, the defeat was a rare early-season setback following their dominant Premier League campaign, though it highlighted the competitive intensity between two of England's top clubs.[6] The event also featured as part of a historic double-header at Wembley, following the 2020 Women's FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester City.[4]Background
Qualification
The 2020 FA Community Shield featured Arsenal and Liverpool, who qualified through their successes in the 2019–20 domestic competitions. Arsenal earned their place by winning the FA Cup, defeating Chelsea 2–1 in the final on 1 August 2020 at Wembley Stadium. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored both goals for Arsenal, opening the scoring in the 28th minute with a penalty after a foul on Bukayo Saka, and sealing the victory in the 67th minute by converting another penalty following a handball by César Azpilicueta; Kurt Zouma had equalized for Chelsea in the 60th minute. This triumph marked Arsenal's record-extending 14th FA Cup title and qualified them for the Community Shield as cup winners.[7][8][9] Liverpool secured qualification as champions of the 2019–20 Premier League, clinching the title on 25 June 2020 after Manchester City's 2–1 defeat to Chelsea confirmed their unassailable lead. The Reds amassed 99 points from 38 matches, finishing 18 points ahead of runners-up Manchester City, who totaled 81 points; this achievement ended Liverpool's 30-year wait for a top-flight English league title, their first since the 1989–90 season. Under manager Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool's dominant campaign included 32 wins, just three defeats, and a goal difference of +52, showcasing their attacking prowess led by players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané.[10][11][12] Under the standard qualification rules for the FA Community Shield, the match pits the Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners from the previous season. If the same team wins both competitions, the cup holders face the Premier League runners-up instead to ensure two distinct participants; this provision did not apply in 2020, as Arsenal and Liverpool claimed the respective honors separately.[13][14]Competition format
The FA Community Shield is an annual one-off match in English football, contested between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup. If the same team claims both competitions, the double winners instead face the Premier League runners-up to determine the participants.[15][16] The competition originated in 1908 as the Charity Shield, replacing an earlier fixture known as the Sheriff of London Charity Shield, with Manchester United defeating Queens Park Rangers 4–0 in the inaugural edition. The 2020 staging marked the 98th edition of the match. In 2002, it was renamed the FA Community Shield following a ruling by the UK's Charity Commission that the Football Association had breached fundraising regulations under its previous title; proceeds from the event have historically supported charitable causes and, since the rename, fund community projects across England, including initiatives in the Brent area near Wembley Stadium.[17][15][14] The match is played over 90 minutes of normal time at a neutral venue, which has been Wembley Stadium on an annual basis since 1974, with rare exceptions for renovations or scheduling conflicts. Should the scores be level after regulation time, the outcome is decided by a penalty shoot-out; this format has been in place since 1993, replacing earlier practices of either declaring a shared win or playing extra time.[17][18][15] Regarded as English football's domestic super cup, the Community Shield serves as the traditional season curtain-raiser, typically held in late August, and offers the participating clubs prestige and an early psychological boost ahead of the Premier League campaign, despite not conferring a major trophy or qualification benefits.[18][19]Pre-match
Venue and arrangements
The 2020 FA Community Shield was held at Wembley Stadium in London, the traditional venue for the competition since 1974.[20][16] The stadium, which has a normal capacity of 90,000, was completely empty for the match due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[21][5] The match took place on 29 August 2020, with kick-off scheduled for 16:30 BST, serving as the curtain-raiser for the 2020–21 men's football season following the resumption of play after the earlier COVID-19 disruptions.[5][22] It formed part of a historic double-header at Wembley, with the 2020 Women's FA Community Shield contested earlier that day between Chelsea and Manchester City.[23][24] Due to UK government guidelines amid the pandemic, the event was played behind closed doors with no fans in attendance and limited personnel on site, including reduced staff numbers to minimize health risks. Strict hygiene protocols were enforced, such as regular sanitization, social distancing for participants, and pre-event testing for players and essential staff. The official name of the competition was the FA Community Shield supported by McDonald's, reflecting the title sponsorship agreement in place for the season.[5]Officials
The match was officiated by Andre Marriner from the Birmingham Football Association, a Select Group 1 referee since 2005 who had by then refereed over 300 Premier League matches and previously handled the 2010 FA Community Shield between Manchester United and Chelsea.[25][26] Assisting Marriner on the lines were Mark Scholes from the Berks & Bucks Football Association and Marc Perry from the Birmingham Football Association. The fourth official was Andrew Madley from the West Riding Football Association, with Dan Robathan from the Norfolk Football Association serving as reserve assistant referee. Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties were assigned to David Coote from the Nottinghamshire Football Association, supported by Assistant VAR Dan Cook from the Hampshire Football Association.[25] As the match occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with no spectators present, the officiating team adhered to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) protocols, including pre-match testing and social distancing measures in line with broader football resumption guidelines.[25]Match
Team line-ups
Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, lined up in a 3-4-3 formation.[27] The starting XI consisted of Emiliano Martínez in goal; Rob Holding, David Luiz, and Kieran Tierney as the central defenders; Héctor Bellerín, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Granit Xhaka, and Bukayo Saka across midfield; and Eddie Nketiah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Mohamed Elneny up front.[5]
Substitutions were made as follows: Cédric Soares replaced Bellerín in the 58th minute; Reiss Nelson came on for Nketiah in the 82nd minute; Joe Willock substituted for Saka in the 82nd minute; and Sead Kolašinac entered for Tierney in the 83rd minute.[5] Unused substitutes included Bernd Leno, William Saliba, Emile Smith Rowe, Tyreece John-Jules, and James Olayinka.
Liverpool, under Jürgen Klopp, deployed a 4-3-3 formation.[27] The starting lineup featured Alisson Becker as goalkeeper; Neco Williams, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson in defense; James Milner, Fabinho, and Georginio Wijnaldum in midfield; and Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mané in attack.[5]
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | Alisson Becker |
| RB | Neco Williams |
| CB | Joe Gomez |
| CB | Virgil van Dijk |
| LB | Andrew Robertson |
| CM | James Milner |
| CM | Fabinho |
| CM | Georginio Wijnaldum |
| RW | Mohamed Salah |
| CF | Roberto Firmino |
| LW | Sadio Mané |
Summary
The 2020 FA Community Shield match between Arsenal and Liverpool, held on 29 August at Wembley Stadium, ended in a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes, with Arsenal securing a 5–4 victory in the subsequent penalty shoot-out.[28] Arsenal took the lead in the 12th minute through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who latched onto a diagonal pass from Bukayo Saka before cutting inside and curling a low shot into the bottom corner with his right foot.[29] Liverpool, the defending Premier League champions, controlled much of the first half's possession but failed to create clear scoring opportunities, with Arsenal holding firm defensively.[30] In the second half, Liverpool introduced substitutes including Takumi Minamino and Naby Keïta to inject energy into their attack. The equaliser came in the 73rd minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a corner that Minamino headed powerfully past Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for his first goal for the club.[31] Arsenal responded with increased pressure in the closing stages, creating chances through Joe Willock and Aubameyang, but neither side could find a winner before full time.[6] With the scores level, the match proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out as per Community Shield rules, bypassing extra time.[32] Both teams converted their first four penalties, but Liverpool's Rhian Brewster saw his effort strike the crossbar, handing Arsenal the advantage; Aubameyang then calmly slotted home the decisive kick to seal the triumph.[5] Ainsley Maitland-Niles was named Man of the Match for his composed defensive performance in midfield, helping Arsenal repel Liverpool's advances.[28]Match statistics
In the 2020 FA Community Shield, Liverpool dominated possession with 60% compared to Arsenal's 40%, reflecting their control of the game through sustained passing play.[33] Liverpool also edged out in attacking output, registering 15 shots (4 on target) against Arsenal's 8 (2 on target), while earning more corners (5 to 3). Defensive metrics showed a balanced foul count, with Liverpool committing 10 and Arsenal 8. Passing statistics underscored Liverpool's superiority, completing 541 of 629 passes (86% accuracy) versus Arsenal's 332 of 424 (78% accuracy).[33]| Statistic | Arsenal | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 40% | 60% |
| Shots (on target) | 8 (2) | 15 (4) |
| Corners | 3 | 5 |
| Fouls | 8 | 10 |
| Passes (accuracy) | 424 (78%) | 629 (86%) |