SARRI RUN BY CHAMPS

History backs cup winners

ALL the last four Community Shields have gone to the FA Cup winners.

Surprisingly, you have to go back to Manchester United in 2013 to find the last Premier League champs to triumph.

Maurizio Sarri will hope that’s a good sign as he takes charge of cup winners Chelsea for the first time in a competitive game tomorrow when his side meet champions Manchester City.

Sarri will be without key players including Willian, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois.

He will also be sweating until the end of the transfer window – 5pm on Thursday – as he tries to keep hold of all his best players.

As well as the Italian Jorginho in midfield, I am looking forward to seeing Callum Hudson-Odoi, just 17, in a Chelsea shirt.

The teenager has been earning rave reviews preseason and might get some valuable playing time with Olivier Giroud and Hazard missing following their World Cup exploits.

City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne will be at Wembley but will not be available and Pep Guardiola will also be without Raheem Sterling.

This will be Guardiola’s fifth match at Wembley in five different competitions. He has won three and lost one of the previous four which have been in the Champions League (2011), FA Cup (2017), League Cup and Premier League

(2018).

City are 21-20 with the Blues 13-5 and the draw at

13-5.

It promises to be something of a phoney war with so many key players missing but it should be an entertaining game with goals for both sides.

This is a big week for a number of clubs with the closure of the transfer window.

Barcelona’s Yerry Mina is likely to move to the Premier League this week, but will it be to Manchester United (1-2 with BetVictor) or Everton (6-4)?

You get the impression the Colombian wants to move to Old Trafford.

But does Jose Mourinho take him merely as a contingency in case he cannot get either Toby Alderweireld or Harry Maguire over the line?

If Everton lose out on Mina expect them to get Ben Gibson from Middlesbrough with Mo Besic going the other way.

Gibson is evens to join Marco Silva at Goodison although Burnley are reported to have made a bid of £13m.

City to win and both teams to ........... 11-4

score

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