CHRIS SUTTON: Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta won’t be too concerned if they lose the Community Shield on Sunday as Liverpool’s triumph last year proves the match means little

Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta will be not getting too carried away with themselves if either walks away from Wembley with the trophy under their arm on Sunday.

For them this game will be all about building match fitness and tinkering with formations and personnel ahead of the start of the season.

Last year’s final between Liverpool and Manchester City proved you can never read too much into the result of the Community Shield. 

The men from Merseyside ran out 3-1 victors then and Darwin Nunez stole the show in the battle of the new boys up against Erling Haaland.

But then City went onto win the treble and Haaland scored 36 league goals in the league.

Pep Guardiola (left) and Mikel Arteta (right) will battle it out for the Community Shield on Sunday afternoon, in a bid to get their hands on the first trophy of the season

Liverpool won the Community Shield last season but had a poor campaign in the league

Liverpool then missed out on Champions League football and Nunez failed to make it into double figures in the Premier League.

There will naturally be interest in Guardiola coming up against his former protege but ultimately this game won’t define the season. 

It’s about the bigger picture and the main concern for both managers will be emerging from the game unscathed, particularly for Arteta who has already lost Gabriel Jesus to injury.

Of course, winning a trophy is never a bad thing.

However, I can’t think of a single player who counts the Community Shield as a major honour – it’s nothing more than a glorified friendly really.