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The most important thing about Community Shield is to simply play in it.
More than 40 years after the Bob Paisley joke, it is not difficult to understand the logic of the great man.
Participation in the traditional show of the season simply means that you have enjoyed success in the previous season as winners in the FA Cup or in the league.
However, twelve months ago, the Reds were there only as one plus one.
Manchester City’s domestic dominance saw them aspire to all three trophies en route to a historic treble with Pep Guardiola.
Jurgen Klopp and his team were at Wembley as European champions, of course, but only participated thanks to their second place in the Premier League.
This time, it is markedly different.
Liverpool take the field against Arsenal on Saturday night as the undisputed dominant force in English football.
An all-ages season saw them return home to a first title in 30 years last time, as they finally concluded their campaign with an 18-point gap at the top.
City had seen Klopp’s relentless Reds rip the title out of their hands.
Now, for the first time since 1990, Liverpool will participate in the Community Shield as champion of England.
And while there will be no score to settle against the Gunners for their 2-1 loss at Emirates last month, a good show from Liverpool could set the tone for what follows this next season.
All eyes will be on the Reds and any small setback will be seen in some quarters as a weakness heading into the new season.
Make no mistake, Liverpool will be the team everyone is looking for and Arsenal themselves, fueled by an exciting finale to last season under Mikel Arteta, will be craving a pop of their own at Wembley.
With Arsenal’s rejuvenation seemingly gathering momentum, they will see themselves as one of many contenders for Liverpool’s throne right now.
“We have a goal on our back and they are going to want to get us off the top,” admitted James Milner recently.
And with Arsenal blowing the wind in their sails thanks to the arrival of Willian and a new contract imminent for star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, they will be imagining their chances of landing an early coup on Saturday night.
However, the Klopp Reds are waiting in the capital for the possibility of an additional piece of silver.
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It will never be considered the most prestigious accolade, but lifting trophies is a habit Liverpool have grown used to enjoying over the past year.
Winning another for the collection before the new season will do no harm as the champions prepare to defend their crown next month.
After winning the Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup and Premier League since June 2019, Jordan Henderson has become quite adept at the now famous ‘Hendo Shuffle’.
Another performance from that same squad will do the Liverpool captain a lot of good as he continues to get fit in time for the new season. Even if he’s not involved against Arteta’s men.
Klopp’s record against Arsenal is impressive at Anfield. Since taking office in October 2015, the coach has faced the North Londoners 10 times, winning six and drawing three. That single loss came in July after the Reds had already finished with the title.
Liverpool have looted 32 goals from Saturday’s opponents in the process and the Reds will head into the game determined to show they haven’t missed a step since a 3-1 win at Newcastle a month ago ended their historic campaign with 99 points. .
With Liverpool so far largely dormant in the transfer market, save for the £ 11.75 million arrival of Kostas Tsimikas, the Reds’ rivals can be hopeful that their own draft can significantly close out what at the end of the season was a gulf at the top of the Premier League table.
That’s probably why Liverpool might need to put on a performance to show why they are champions when the whistle blows at Wembley today.
“It is not a test game, it is not a friendly, it is a proper game, against Arsenal anyway,” says Klopp. “So, try it properly, give everything you have and try to win it.”
The most important thing about Community Shield is to play in it. But Liverpool is ready to win it.
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