Manchester United

vs

Chelsea

Date / Time:	Competition:	Live / Repeat:
August 9, 2009 - 10:00am	England FA Community Shield	Live

The curtain raiser for the English Premier League season, the Community Shield, takes stage at the Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 9.

European runners-up and EPL title winners Manchester United will face Roman Abrahamovic’s FA Cup heroes Chelsea.

This encounter will mark Manchester United’s third straight appearance in the Community Shield. The Red Devils will also be battling against Chelsea in this same single-match tournament for the second time in three games since 2007. How will Chelsea deny the Mancunians from clinching their third consecutive Community Shield title?

Changes in both sides

The excitement in the build up to this big clash has taken another tone after both Chelsea and Manchester have made important makeovers in their club.

Portugal’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s fierce forward Carlos Tevez are presently nothing more than heroes of the past in the recent history of Manchester United FC. Now the attention will be on Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia and mostly on the Red Devils’ new number 7 player Michael Owen. Speaking to the media this week, the former Real Madrid striker stated:

"The team has lost two players - Tevez, who scored a few, and Ronaldo who got lots over the last two seasons,

"There's a big hole to fill, and I hope I can help plug it in terms of goals. I can't do it on my own - but I will help out."

If Chelsea haven’t made the most of the transfer market so far, they can find a new sight of breath in AC Milan’s former maestro, Carlo Ancelotti.

So the battle will not be featuring Drogba v Ronaldo, or Ferguson v Mourinho. Instead, the spotlight will be on Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney, Berbatov and even Nani up against Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield triangle composed of Joe Cole, Lampard, and Deco.

Mind games

Mind games may not be part of the talking ahead of this Community Shield clash. Chelsea’s new boss Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that confronting Ferguson with words was not something that he’ll love to do.

The Italian rather fed the press with some info concerning his players. Talking about Michael Ballack’s recent injury worries, Ancelotti revealed in the London Evening Standard:

"For the next match against United he [Michael Ballack] will be ready."

The Italian boss continued:

"We have this week before the game and I want to control the physical condition of all my players

"We have to improve a little over next week but I’m happy with the condition of the team."