Man Utd 'hurting' as Man City take Community Shield on penalties

AFP | London, United Kingdom

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Erik ten Hag said Manchester United must feel the pain of a Community Shield defeat on penalties to Manchester City to fuel them for the beginning of the Premier League season.

United looked set to repeat their FA Cup final win over the English champions in May, which helped save Ten Hag's job as manager, when Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring at Wembley on 82 minutes.

However, Bernardo Silva's header forced the game to penalties, where City edged a marathon shoot-out 7-6. "When the performance is right and when you lose everyone feels this.

It hurts in your stomach," said Ten Hag. "You have to feel pain and we have to hurt. We have to take this belief into the league.

City have won the Premier League for a record four consecutive seasons but it is the first time in that run that they have won the season opener after defeats to Leicester, Liverpool and Arsenal in the past three years.

"To start the season with a title is good. We are really pleased," said City boss Pep Guardiola.

"It is nice to play this game because it means you won something in the previous season. "Now we see how the players come back. The target now is not to win the Premier League, it is 'OK next game try and win it'.

This is what we have to do." City were severely hampered by the absence of a series of key players due to their late return to pre-season after competing at Euro 2024 and the Copa America.

The England trio of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden, as well as Spain midfielder Rodri are yet to return to training following their efforts in reaching the final of Euro 2024.

By contrast, Ten Hag showed his desperation to win more silverware by thrusting teenager Kobbie Mainoo straight back into the heart of the action after his starring role for England in Germany.

Despite also leaving Kevin De Bruyne and Silva on the bench, City controlled the game early on with the electric Jeremy Doku causing havoc down the left.

James McAtee was one of the City youngsters given his chance to shine and was inches away from making his mark with a curling effort that came back off the post midway through the first half.