Madueke says Community Shield rout of City has set the tone for Arsenal's title defence

Noni Madueke has identified Arsenal’s 3-0 Community Shield demolition of Manchester City as the moment that crystallised the Gunners’ belief they can become back-to-back Premier League champions — a feat only Manchester United, Chelsea, and City have managed in the Premier League era.

Arsenal, who ended a 22-year wait for the league title last season under Mikel Arteta, wasted no time making their intentions clear in Cardiff, taking the lead inside 30 seconds and easing to a comfortable victory in the traditional curtain-raiser. For Madueke, the result carried extra weight given that City had beaten Arsenal twice in 2024-25 — once in the Carabao Cup final and once in a pivotal league clash — with the other meeting ending in a draw.

“I feel like everyone’s more relaxed, it’s good,” Madueke told the club’s website. “We definitely have the feeling — obviously it was great to win the league after 22 years, it’s some feat. We’re back here with the same mindset to go and do it again, and even to improve on what we did last year. They beat us twice last season, so it was a great feeling to beat them and win the first trophy of the season. It sets the tone.”

The winger also pointed to the atmosphere at the Emirates during Arsenal’s opening Premier League win over Coventry City as evidence of a renewed energy around the club. “There’s an extra buzz around the place now that we’re champions,” he added. “I think everyone’s really happy at the moment and the mood’s really good.”

Arsenal’s first significant league test arrives in the form of a trip to Aston Villa, a side that beat them at Villa Park last season thanks to Emi Buendia’s stoppage-time goal. Villa have been reshaped considerably over the summer, with Ezri Konsa among those to depart — the defender joining Arsenal and potentially set to face his former club on his debut.

Arteta’s side are among a small group of teams still carrying a perfect record into the fixture, and a positive result would underline the early-season confidence Madueke has been keen to project.