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 its 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 has 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.
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“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,” the Spaniard added.
City was severely hampered by the absence of a series of key players due to its 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.
United rues missed chances
United was being starved of possession but still managed to create the better of the chances.
Amad Diallo should have gone for goal himself rather than trying to square to Bruno Fernandes with the goal gaping as half-time approached.
Fernandes started in an unfamiliar centre-forward role due to the absence of Rasmus Hojlund through injury and a lack of match fitness for Joshua Zirkzee.
The United captain thought he had opened the scoring with a stunning strike on the hour mark that was ruled out for offside.
Garnacho was introduced for the final half-hour and brought more pace and invention to the United attack. The Argentine teed up Marcus Rashford, who could only hit the post with just Ederson to beat.
READ MORE | Manchester City beats Manchester United on penalties to win Community Shield
Garnacho thought he had won the game as he jinked inside the City defence and fired low into the corner. However, City rallied and levelled in the final minute of the 90 when Oscar Bobb’s cross was headed in by Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder was then the first to miss in the shoot-out as his effort was saved by Andre Onana.
Sancho, though, experienced more penalty woe at Wembley after missing in the final of Euro 2020 for England. His spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Ederson, who then fired in himself to keep City alive.
Evans gave City the chance to win it when he blazed over.
And it was a tale of redemption for Manuel Akanji, whose saved penalty cost Switzerland in its Euros quarter-final against England, as the centre-back stroked home the winner.
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