Arsenal have shaded the first-half of the Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley.
The traditional curtain-raiser pits the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners against each other with the new campaign now just five days away.
And it is the Gunners who have gone closest to scoring through new signing Alexandre Lacazette, who hit the post.
With Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil missing, Arsene Wenger has gone with Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi in attack and the trio have all impressed.
Arsenal have lost skipper Per Mertesacker to injury though, with the German suffering a blow to his head
Chelsea, who have new boy Alvaro Morata on the bench, haven't really got going although Cech has denied Moses and Pedro.
Late in the half, Willian was booked for diving by referee Bobby Madley after a challenge from Hector Bellerin.
KEY EVENTS
Courtois denies Elneny!
Did he mean that?!
Elneny has Courtois scrambling with an effort from a ridiculous angle.
He appeared to be lining up a cross but the way he struck the ball would suggest he was going for goal.
Courtois manages to move his feet quickly before punching clear.
Cahill and Luiz collide
In exactly the same spot as Mertesacker suffered his head injury, Chelsea duo Cahill and Luiz are down.
The pair went up to challenge for a high ball and clashed heads.
They both require treatment on the pitch.
More like it from Chelsea
Much better from Chelsea since the break.
Antonio Conte will have demanded more at half-time from his title winners - and he has got it.
Gary Cahill insisted this was a trophy before the game and Chelsea’s celebrations proved just that.
KEY EVENT
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea (Moses, 46)
Victor Moses scores for Chelsea!
It comes within the first minute of the half.
Arsenal fail to deal with a corner and as the ball comes back in to the box, Moses reacts quickest.
He thumps the ball into the net and wheels away in celebration.
Don’t forget, he was sent off against Arsenal in the FA Cup final back in May!
PEEEEP!
And we’re back underway.
No changes from either side at the break.
Both sides are allowed six apiece today.
HT ratings - Chelsea
Courtois - 6
Azpilicueta - 5
Cahill - 6
Luiz - 6
Moses - 5
Kante - 7
Fabregas - 6
Alonso - 5
Willian - 6
Pedro - 6
Batshuayi - 5
HT ratings - Arsenal
Cech - 6
Holding - 6
Mertesacker - 6 (Kolasinac, 32)
Monreal - 6
Bellerin - 6
Elneny - 5
Xhaka - 6
Oxlade-Chamberlain - 5
Iwobi - 8
Welbeck - 7
Lacazette - 7
PEEEEP!
And there’s the half-time whistle.
It’s Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea.
The Gunners have shaded it, though.
Very nifty footwork from Iwobi provides another opening.
He has looked bright in the first-half and drives through the middle of the park before finding Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Iwobi gets the ball back but it’s an easy save for Courtois.
Showboating from Luiz
So calm from the Brazilian.
He holds off Danny Welbeck before flicking the ball away from the goal.
Anyone else would hoof the ball clear.
Not Luiz.
He heads the ball back over Welbeck to his goalkeeper.
Willian booked for diving!
Chelsea fans want a penalty - but they won’t get one.
And Willian is booked for diving!
The Brazilian goes down under a challenge from Bellerin but there is not enough for a penalty.
Bobby Madley gets it spot on.
Just to confirm, Willian will face no retrospective action (which has been introduced this season) as the matter has been dealt with.
Cech denies Pedro
Good move from Chelsea.
Willian does well and finds Pedro with a fine cross-field pass.
The Spaniard goes past Holding and forces a routine save from Cech.
Kolasinac enters the fray
As expected, that is the end of Mertesacker’s afternoon.
Kolasinac comes in and will play on the left of a back three with Monreal at the centre.
With Laurent Koscielny suspended for next week, Wenger may have a few problems.
Shkodran Mustafi is yet to feature in pre-season but could feature against Leicester.
Cech denies Moses
Better from Chelsea.
Moses and Batshuayi combine well down the right and the former tries his luck from an acute angle.
Cech blocks his attempt and Batshuayi can’t make contact with the rebound.
Mertesacker withdrawn
Arsenal’s skipper is down and hurt after a heavy blow.
He is caught by Gary Cahill’s elbow as the pair challenge for an aerial ball.
Mertesacker is bleeding heavily from the contact and will require treatment.
He doesn’t look like he will continue.
The German doesn’t look in a good way as he trudges off, with Sead Kolasinac being readied.
A brief sighter for Batshuayi.
He almost capitalises on a Bellerin pass but again, Check is out quickly to clear the danger.
Moments later, Alonso clatters into Lacazette - who has made a fine start - but escapes without a booking.
Lacazette hits the post!
So close for the Frenchman!
Arsenal break well again as Lacazette picks out Bellerin on the right.
The Frenchman gets the ball back before playing a one-two with Welbeck.
He manages to make a yard before curling his shot against the post!
Welbeck impressing so far
Danny Welbeck has been the star of the show so far.
He is causing problems for Chelsea whenever he gets the ball.
As we reported today, Everton are weighing up a move for the striker if they can’t get Olivier Giroud.
Would Arsenal be foolish to let him go?
Bookings for Azpilicueta and Bellerin
There’s the first yellow card.
It goes to Azpilicueta for a tug on Welbeck.
The Chelsea defender lost the ball and the Gunners looked set to break before he committed the foul.
Easy decision for Bobby Madley.
Less than 60 seconds later, Bellerin joins his countryman in the book after a late challenge on Alonso.
More neat play in and around the box leads to an opening for Iwobi.
Again, Courtois is out to smother but Chelsea need to pick it up here.
They appear a yard off it in the first 10 minutes.
Gunners go close!
Chelsea haven’t got going yet.
Alex Iwobi breezes past Luiz as if he wasn’t even there and tries to find Lacazette in the middle.
The Frenchman can’t adjust his body to make contact with the cross and the ball bounces off his arm and goes behind.
Moments later Welbeck gets in behind but his header from Xhaka’s pass is comfortably caught by Courtois.
Decent start from Arsenal
The Gunners have started brightly with Lacazette and Welbeck picking up some decent positions.
The pair combine before Lacazette finds Bellerin on the right.
His cross is too close to Courtois, though.
Petr Cech is required to come and head away a clearance inside the first minute.
A long ball over the top is aimed for Pedro but the Arsenal stopper is out.
Glorious day in the capital.
PEEEP!
And we’re underway at Wembley.
What is your prediction for this afternoon’s clash?
It should be a cracker.
Who will get their hands on it?
Here we go!
The two teams make their way out onto the pitch.
It promises to be a cracker with a fascinating atmosphere for this one.
Time for the national anthem.
Don’t forget, the proceeds from today’s game go to the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
A lovely touch.
A minute’s silence will be held before kick-off.
Countdown to kick-off
We are now just 10 minutes away from kick-off.
The two teams are undergoing their final preparations on the pitch.
Who will win this afternoon?
Conte explains why Morata is on the bench
I don’t know why people are surprised.It is normal when a player arrives.He needs a bit of time to adapt to our football and our ideas.
Why Lacazette joined Arsenal
Alexandre Lacazette has been speaking about his move to the Emirates.
The Frenchman arrived in a £52m deal from Lyon this summer.
He starts today.
I’ve liked this club since I was a child. They play good football with a lot of movement and short passes.They have good players who are experienced and they can help me progress.There is big competition for places, which can also help me progress.
5 times the Community Shield was anything but friendly
Go on then, we’ll get it out of the way early.
Today;s Community Shield clash between Arsenal and Chelsea is the *pause for breath* traditional curtain-raiser to the new top-flight season, with Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte looking for their sides to make a statement about their chances in this campaign.
The Blues won 3-0 when the pair met in Beijing two weeks ago, but the Gunners will be confident of putting up more of a fight at the national stadium, especially with the distinctive trophy on show.
And putting up a fight has been a theme of this clash over the years, despite the “friendly” overtones.
Because while the Community - formerly Charity - Shield might raise money for plenty of good causes, that doesn’t stop things getting heated.
Gunners fans fearing the worst
Arsenal fans are understandably worried ahead of their Community Shield clash with Chelsea after seeing a key name ousted from their first team.
Arsene Wenger has left both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil out the squad for the match at Wembley, picking Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette in their places.
Ozil has picked up a knock, meaning he was always due to miss the fixture, however Sanchez was expected to start.
But despite not featuring in the first XI, he has not even been named on the bench by the Gunners boss, fuelling speculation he is set to leave.
Gunners getting ready
Kick-off is just over half an hour away.
As mentioned, Alexis Sanchez is at Wembley but doesn’t feature.
Alexandre Lacazette starts for the Gunners.
Gerrard on summer spending
Steven Gerrard has hit out at the spending of clubs this summer on BT Sport.
Let’s not forget, Neymar joined PSG for £199m on Friday.
Incredible!
It’s crazy and it is getting worse.Pogba was the start of it at £89mNeymar is a special case. In his contract it was that amount.It seems that money is going crazy.
Thoughts on the Chelsea side
Not too many surprises in the Chelsea side.
Michy Batshuayi gets another chance to impress ahead of Alvaro Morata but it is largely last season’s side.
Eden Hazard remains sidelined.
One concern will be the Blues bench though, with Morata and Rudiger joined by a host of youngsters.
Why is Sanchez missing?
Alexis Sanchez is at Wembley today but won’t be involved.
The Chilean only returned to training this week.
This is what Wenger had to say.
He’s here but he is too short after just four days training.Ozil has an ankle problem. Ramsey needs some protection from a calf problem.
On Lacazette
He is still adapting to the intensity of things here. He isn’t at the top already but this kind of game is part of the adaptation.
What do you think Gunners?
There is today’s Arsenal team.
Sanchez and Ozil aren’t in the squad while Koscieny misses out.
Hardly a surprise, with the Frenchman suspended for Friday’s clash.
Alexandre Lacazette starts for the Gunners.
KEY EVENT
Team news
Arsenal: Cech, Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal, Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck, Iwobi, Lacazette
Subs: Ospina, Kolasinac, Willock, Nelson, Maitland-Niles, Walcott, Giroud.
Subs: Ospina, Kolasinac, Willock, Nelson, Maitland-Niles, Walcott, Giroud.
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Pedro
Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Christensen, Scott, Boga, Musonda, Morata
No Ozil or Sanchez?
Early suggestions are Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil don’t start today.
It remains to be seen if the Chilean is on the bench.
Alvaro Morata is also among the Chelsea subs.
Just a friendly?
Does this one count as a trophy?
Or is it just a pre-season friendly?
Our man at Wembley, John Cross, believes it is a case of the latter.
Arsenal new boys to watch
Alexandre Lacazette
(Lyon - £52m)
With the futures of both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil still very much up in the air, Wenger needed to make a statement of intent in the market and he did so by breaking the club’s transfer record to sign France striker Lacazette from Lyon.
Lacazette, 26, hit 37 goals in 45 games last season and has bagged at least 20 Ligue 1 goals in each of the last three years.
His obvious goal threat is something the Gunners lacked at times last season and if he can settle into Premier League life quickly, he could soon start paying back that record fee.
With the futures of both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil still very much up in the air, Wenger needed to make a statement of intent in the market and he did so by breaking the club’s transfer record to sign France striker Lacazette from Lyon.
Lacazette, 26, hit 37 goals in 45 games last season and has bagged at least 20 Ligue 1 goals in each of the last three years.
His obvious goal threat is something the Gunners lacked at times last season and if he can settle into Premier League life quickly, he could soon start paying back that record fee.
Sead Kolasinac
(Schalke - Free)
Bosnia-Herzegovina international Kolasinac was a sought-after name as his contract in Gelsenkirchen ran down.
The 24-year-old was named in the Bundesliga team of the year last season despite Schalke only finishing 10th.
Big and powerful, Kolasinac can operate as a centre-back or out at left wing-back in manager Arsene Wenger’s current set-up.
The 24-year-old was named in the Bundesliga team of the year last season despite Schalke only finishing 10th.
Big and powerful, Kolasinac can operate as a centre-back or out at left wing-back in manager Arsene Wenger’s current set-up.
Chelsea new boys to watch
Antonio Rudiger
(Roma - £29m)
A tough-tackling defender, 24-year-old Germany international Rudiger will be looked upon to fill the void left by the departure of Chelsea’s long-time captain John Terry.
Having left Borussia Dortmund’s youth set-up to play for Stuttgart, Rudiger moved to Roma - initially on loan - where he developed into a defender who would attract the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
After speaking out about the racial abuse he received in Italy, Rudiger made a summer switch to Stamford Bridge where he will look to establish himself in the defence of the reigning champions.
Having left Borussia Dortmund’s youth set-up to play for Stuttgart, Rudiger moved to Roma - initially on loan - where he developed into a defender who would attract the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
After speaking out about the racial abuse he received in Italy, Rudiger made a summer switch to Stamford Bridge where he will look to establish himself in the defence of the reigning champions.
Tiemoue Bakayoko
(Monaco - £34m)
(Monaco - £34m)
Bakayoko excelled in the Monaco side which clinched the Ligue 1 title over his home-town club Paris St Germain last season.
The combative 22-year-old midfielder has one France cap to his name but is expected to develop into a key player for Les Bleus in the coming years.
Bakayoko comes in at a time when Chelsea opted to sell Nemanja Matic to rivals Manchester United and he will be looking to fill the sizeable boots of the Serbian in west London.
The combative 22-year-old midfielder has one France cap to his name but is expected to develop into a key player for Les Bleus in the coming years.
Bakayoko comes in at a time when Chelsea opted to sell Nemanja Matic to rivals Manchester United and he will be looking to fill the sizeable boots of the Serbian in west London.
Alvaro Morata
(Real Madrid - £58m)
(Real Madrid - £58m)
With Diego Costa falling out of favour with manager Antonio Conte and told he is free to leave, Chelsea needed another out-and-out goalscorer to launch their bid at retaining their Premier League crown.
It was widely anticipated that Romelu Lukaku would rejoin the club from Everton, only for the Belgium international to instead move to Manchester United.
United themselves had long been linked with Morata but, having made their move, it meant Chelsea could seal a deal to sign the 24-year-old hot-shot from Real Madrid.
It was widely anticipated that Romelu Lukaku would rejoin the club from Everton, only for the Belgium international to instead move to Manchester United.
United themselves had long been linked with Morata but, having made their move, it meant Chelsea could seal a deal to sign the 24-year-old hot-shot from Real Madrid.
Security checks
There will be enhanced security checks at Wembley this afternoon.
Fans have been advised to arrive in plenty of time to ensure their smooth entrance.
Wembley staff have also warned bags bigger than 30cm x 30cm will not be permitted.
Wenger warning to Sanchez
Arsene Wenger has warned contract rebel Alexis Sanchez that he has the power of the Arsenalboard behind him.
Sanchez is refusing to sign a new Gunners deal and has made it clear he wants to quit the Emirates.
But Wenger is prepared to play hardball and insists that transfer policy is in his hands – and that there is no pressure from the board to sell.
Wenger said: “Yes, the board back me to make the decisions on the technical front. Is that comings and goings? That is technical.”
The Gunners boss does not want to sell the 28-year-old – especially to a Premier League rival – and is determined to keep him at the Emirates this season, even if it means allowing the £80million-rated frontman go for free next summer.
Greetings
Good afternoon one and all.
Welcome to our LIVE coverage of today’s Community Shield between Arsenal and Chelsea.
The London rivals will meet at Wembley in the traditional season curtain-raiser, just 71 days after the Gunners’ FA Cup final success.
With the new Premier League season just FIVE days away, both sides will be hoping to put down an early marker in the race for the title.
After confirming his stay, Arsene Wenger splashed the cash on Alexandre Lacazette while he appears to have convinced Alexis Sanchez to remain at the Emirates.
Champions Chelsea have also spent big with four new faces arriving but they have lost midfielder Nemanja Matic while Diego Costa is on his way out.
It will be a new-look side that takes to the field today - but who will get some early bragging rights?
Follow all the build-up plus team news, action and reaction throughout the afternoon with us.
Let’s do this!
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