Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus ruled out for Manchester City match

Arsenal will be without both Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus when they face Manchester City in the 2026 FA Community Shield, and the reasons have nothing to do with pulled hamstrings or tight calves. Both Brazilian forwards have been left out of the squad entirely, a decision that speaks louder than any official transfer announcement could.

The match, scheduled for August 16 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, kicks off at 3pm BST. It also happens to be the first competitive fixture for Manchester City under new manager Enzo Maresca.

Squad decisions, not injury absences

Martinelli and Jesus haven’t been ruled out due to knocks. They’ve been excluded from the squad, joining fringe players Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira on the outside looking in.

For Martinelli, the omission arrives amid reported interest from Turkish clubs. Jesus, meanwhile, has attracted attention from Serie A, with Napoli among the clubs reportedly monitoring his situation.

Who fills the gap

Arsenal’s predicted lineup for the Cardiff fixture tells its own story about the club’s attacking direction. Kai Havertz is expected to lead the line as the primary forward option. On the left wing, where Martinelli would typically operate, Christos Tzolis is in contention to start.

Arsenal are also dealing with genuine injury concerns elsewhere. William Saliba is nursing a back problem, while Jurrien Timber has a groin issue keeping him sidelined. Bukayo Saka’s fitness status also remains uncertain ahead of the Community Shield.

A Community Shield with unusual stakes

Martinelli made 89 Premier League appearances over his Arsenal career. Jesus arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 as a marquee signing. Both players have been instrumental in Arsenal’s ambitions for major honors, with Jesus bringing experience from his tenure at City and Martinelli contributing pace as a left-sided attacker since joining from São Paulo in 2019.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.