Manchester City return to “competitive” action a week before the rest of the Premier League with the exception of their opponents, Chelsea.

The pair meet at Wembley in the Community Shield, a curtain raiser to the new season which allows teams a very early opportunity to pick up injuries, bookings and the occasional sending-off.

One of the two will also pick up a rather ugly looking shield which resembles a highly polished fruit plate. It is not, as our knowledgable readers will be aware, amongst the most highly sought trophies of the season.

Yet this is another excuse for the pathetic clowns in charge of the FA to drag some northern fans all the way down to London, rip them off and then tell them that the return train home has been cancelled.

To Pep Guradiola, as with José Mourinho two years earlier, the game is one his team doesn’t need. Having returned from a tour of a little bit of the USA only a few days ago, he is still waiting for most of his big name players to return from extended holidays.

As and when they do return, some of them won’t even be in line for a place in the season’s opening game against Arsenal, (another trip to London).

So what is the point of the Community Shield?

Anyway, Pep has added Riyad Mahrez to his squad since last season and an unknown Dutch centre back, Philippe Sandler from PEC Zwolle. He missed out on Jorgihno who was forced, against his will, to move to Chelsea.

Will these signings be enough to maintain City’s position as the number one club in England? Probably, because the rest were so far behind last season that any little improvement should be enough to keep them at the top.

The Mahrez signing will definitely improve the squad and the Sandler signing, as he is only 21, is one for the future and will be seen as a long term replacement for Vincent Kompany.

Manchester United, who finished second, have only added Fred of any note and this, given that Anthony Martial will either be sold or dropped, has not really improved the squad greatly. They still need a centre back and two full backs before they can be considered as title challengers.

Liverpool should provide the toughest test and not only in the games when they play City. Jürgen Klopp has finally bought a decent goalkeeper and this, for many people, was the piece of the jigsaw that was missing. Having also added Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri to his squad, he will feel confident of mounting a title challenge.

He will fall short but may squeeze into second above United.

The three London clubs could be joined in the fight for the fourth spot by a fourth London club, West Ham. In fact, given the experience of Manuel Pellegrini he could, quite resonably, expect to finish higher than either of the two brand new to the Premier League, Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery.

With Daniel Levy hiding under a table in the Tottenham Hotspur boardroom until the transfer window closes, there is a chance that Mauricio Pochettino won’t buy anyone! If this turns out to be the case then he too will find it difficult finishing above West Ham.

So the interesting battle could very well be the one for fourth.

As far as top spot is concerned, City should be able to retain it despite having done very little in the transfer market because they are that good and as for the community shield we will probably see just how well-stocked the talent cupboard is at the Etihad.

Some of the young stars are set to get a run out with the heavy artillery ready on the bench to come on when Pep wants. It should be an interesting game to see new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri pit his wits against Pep for the first time in England.

Let’s hope for an entertaining game.