"Criminal man" "Bit unfair" - Arsenal fans livid as Kai Havertz starts ahead of 'best player in pre-season' against Manchester City

Arsenal have named in Kai Havertz in their starting lineup to face Manchester City in the Community Shield ahead of Leandro Trossard on Sunday (August 6), leaving fans infuriated.

The Gunners will kick off their 2023-24 season with the Community Shield clash against Manchester City at Wembley. As the Cityzens won both the Premier League and the FA Cup last term, Mikel Arteta's side qualified for the game as league runners-up.

Arsenal are determined to build on the improvement they made under Arteta last season, although they missed out on the title by five points. They will, therefore, be keen to begin the new campaign with a victory over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

With less than an hour to go until kick-off, the north London giants have announced their starting XI for the game. Arteta has named a strong lineup, with summer signings Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber earning a starting berth.

However, Arteta's decision to start Havertz in attack ahead of Trossard has not gone down well among Arsenal fans. Many believe the Belgium international deserved to start against Manchester City after impressing during pre-season, bagging three goals in five games, with one tweeting:

How have Arsenal fared in lead up to Manchester City game?

Arsenal have had a busy summer transfer window, making three major additions to their squad. They have roped in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber for a combined sum of over £200 million. The Gunners are also reportedly in the process of signing David Raya from Brentford.

The north London giants also played five friendlies to get themselves ready for the 2023-24 season. They began their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw against German second division club Nurnberg before flying off to the United States.

Mikel Arteta's side began their tour of the US with a thumping 5-0 win against MLS All-Stars. They then succumbed to a 2-0 loss against Premier League rivals Manchester United in New Jersey. The Red Devils also defeated them 5-3 in a namesake penalty shootout.

The Gunners bounced back with a thrilling 5-3 victory over La Liga champions Barcelona. They wrapped up their pre-season with a 1-1 draw against AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium last week. Arteta's side registered a 5-4 win against the Ligue 1 side in a namesake shootout.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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