Two Fan Favorite Teams and FA Powerhouses to meet in 2019 FA Community Shield

Quick 2019 FA Community Shield Final Cup Overview

The upcoming FA Community Shield cup final scheduled for the 4th of August, 2019 is definitely one of those firecrackers you would not want to miss. It also explains why 2019’s FA Community Shields tickets are going fast. This is evident as the two contenders were the two at loggerhead throughout the last English Premier League season.

Manchester City, who were crowned champions of the English premier league, will be up against the second-placed Liverpool FC. Liverpool, however, went on to clinch the UEFA Champions League trophy.

That said, let's talk a bit about the FA Community Shield Cup, shall we?

Where The FA Community Shield Cup Started From

The English Football Association Community Shield is organized annually by the English football association. This matchup is between the previous seasons' winner of the English premier league and the FA cup winner. When, in extraordinary circumstances, the winner of both the English premier league and the FA Cup are the same team, in this case, Manchester City, they are paired up with runner’s up of the English premier league.  

This world-famous feature is organized as a charity event. The proceeds from ticket sales and other revenue generating sources are donated to charity and spread across the 128 teams that participated in the competition. As far back as 1908, the FA Community Shield Cup has been organized for this sole purpose.  

Formerly known as the Sheriff of London charity shield, this charity match was initially introduced as far back as 1898. It was played as a professional versus amateur tournaments. The very first match of the FA Community Shield Cup in the 1908-09 season was between Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers. The first match ended in a one-all draw. The rematch ended in a four goals thriller in favor of Manchester United.

The FA community shield cup is usually the first competitive football match in the English top tier professional league. Although usually considered a minor trophy, the FA community shield is usually hotly contended. Most noticeably it is because of the rivalry between the two top teams that play the FA community shield finals, and because both teams are always the season’s strongest teams in English football.

Top Winners Of The FA Community Shield Cup  

The three most successful teams in the competitions are Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. Manchester United is in first place, with the most titles totaling 21, while there are 15 for Arsenal and 15 cups for Liverpool. Chelsea and Newcastle share the highest number of appearances in this final without winning the title. Interestingly, Brighton and Hove Albion are the only clubs to have won the FA community shield trophy with neither the FA cup nor the English premier league trophy.

Similar to the English premier league, the FA Community Shield Cup Final shares the same rule governing the English Premier League. The slight difference being that the FA community shield cup final allows up to six substitutions differing from the English Premier League’s three. Historically, this competition has always been played at the empire stadium (old Wembley stadium), Millennium stadium and now the New Wembley stadium.  

The constant neutral stadium used for the FA Community shield finals is to remove home advantages and afford neutrality and community service. The first stadium to host the FA Community shield final was Stamford bridge back in 1908. Aside from the other three constant grounds mentioned above, there have been eight other stadiums that have hosted this historic competition at one time in their stadium.

Current Standings And Match-Up

The two current contenders vying to be crowned the FA community shield winners are Liverpool and Manchester City. Currently, both teams are very strong and are sure to bring the heat to this year’s FA Community Shield cup final. With a lot of competitiveness and just a single point having been needed to deny Liverpool a chance at the English premier league trophy in the just concluded season, this might be their compensation.

• Manchester City’s Hope To Add More Trophies To Their Shelf

Manchester City is also hoping on making things happen for them by winning this trophy. This will help them add yet another trophy to their collection of trophies from the last seasons' outings. Winning the treble is no easy feat for any English Premier League team. Winning it means you have a strong team and that is what Manchester city seem to parade currently. The addition of the FA Community Shield cup to their current collection will mean they are the current king of English premier league football.

• Is Being The Champions of Europe Enough For Liverpool?

Liverpool went on to win the UEFA Champions League trophy. This ultimately crowned them as the champions of Europe. After seeing out big European clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona off from the competition, Tottenham Hotspur was the only one left standing to challenge them in the final. Well, they are the champions of Europe now.  

The whole Liverpool football club will still have the bitter taste on their lips from being so close to clinching the English Premier League from Manchester city but was just two points short. This matchup between both teams will be the matchup they have been dreaming to have to even the scores. Winning this over the Manchester city team will cut short their celebration at domination over English premier league football in general.

Having being beaten only by this Manchester city team in the just concluded English premier league season, Liverpool also has all to play for in prove in this cup tie.

Final Score

The FA Community Shield Cup Final not only brings out the best in the two teams on a competitive level, but it also helps to serve the community in terms of charity. Although a charity match, the FA Community Shield cup is competitive business as usual for the participating teams. The rivalry between the two teams is always a joy to watch for the English Football Association community.

The winner does not just get the trophy added to their collection only, they also get bragging rights to who won the latest FA Community Shield cup final. As Pep Guardiola described it recently, the first final of the season is the FA community shield cup final, this is to show how these teams have come to embrace the competitiveness and of course the charity proceeds from it to the community.