Bet British Soccer: F.A. Community Shield, EFL Carabao Cup open up English season Saturday

Arsenal (+350) vs. Liverpool (-150), draw (+333), 11:30 a.m. EDT (ESPN+ and Fubo.tv)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores the second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, June 24, 2020.Paul Ellis | Pool via Associated Press

Published on:

29 Aug 2020, 2:14 pm

F.A. Community Shield, EFL Carabao Cup open up English season Saturday

It has been a long summer without football.

Just kidding.

Leaving out the fact that it was caused by a global pandemic, this has been the greatest summer of matches ever, with the all the leagues finishing in July, then the UEFA cup competitions that just finished last weekend.

Saturday, the English football season kicks off again, beginning a nine-month marathon to the end of May before another summer of games, with the EURO 2021 (née EURO 2020 before COVID-19) next June and July. Remember, too, the World Cup 2022 is looming two-plus years away as well.

Basically, unlike these other sports, there are basically neverending matches for you to watch and bet.

While the EFL Carabao Cup kicks off with the first four of its 35 first round matches spread over two weekends today, the main focus is of course on the F.A. Community Shield, pitting the Premier League champion Liverpool against the F.A. Cup winner Arsenal.

These two teams ended the 2020 campaign in different spots. Liverpool was so dominant until the COVID-19 break, then came back and ended the season with a whimper. Of course, the Reds won their first title in three decades, but celebrated in front of no fans, and this season everyone was talking about in December ended with one trophy.

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta project looked like an abject failure, with the Gunners finishing the Premier League in eighth, before a F.A. Cup title brought them silverware and a way back into Europe (UEFA Europa League).

This game is always tough to call, because some teams take it more seriously than others, but there is a piece of silverware up for grabs. I can’t see past Liverpool winning a goal-filled game, but the price on Arsenal is very tempting.

Check Fubo.tv for channel listings