Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori breaks all-time Community Shield record with 23-second Man City goal

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori scored the fastest Community Shield goal on record when he broke the deadlock against Manchester City on Sunday.

The Italy international was selected ahead of Piero Hincapie at left-back for the traditional curtain-raiser, one of nine changes to the Arsenal XI from their midweek draw with Como.

With Calafiori at left-back and none of Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi or Mikel Merino ready to start after the World Cup, Myles Lewis-Skelly retained his spot in the middle of the park.

The latter - whose future has often been called into question this summer - sent a major selection message to Mikel Arteta inside the opening 30 seconds, threading an exceptional through ball into Calafiori's feet.

The marauding left-back subsequently found himself one-on-one with Gianluigi Donnarumma and comfortably sent his compatriot the wrong way to etch his name into the history books.

Riccardo Calafiori scores fastest Community Shield goal on record

Riccardo Calafiori gives Arsenal the lead after just 24 seconds ?

The assist from Myles Lewis-Skelly ?

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By finding the back of the net in just 23 seconds, Calafiori broke the record for the quickest goal in the Community Shield, and the first scored in the opening minute for nearly 60 years.

Man City were coincidentally involved in the last Community Shield to feature a goal in the opening minute, as Bobby Owen netted for the Sky Blues against West Bromwich Albion in the 35th second of the 1968 edition.

Man City ended up winning 6-1 that day, but Enzo Maresca's men are already fighting an uphill battle to overcome the Premier League champions, who are also aiming to equal a collective record in Cardiff.

Should Arsenal prevail, they would have won a total of 18 Community Shields - 17 outright and one shared - and no team has ever won more than 17 outright.

Manchester United's unprecedented total of 21 is made up of 17 outright wins and four shared successes, meaning Arsenal could match the Red Devils with victory in the Welsh capital.

Is Riccardo Calafiori Arsenal's first-choice left-back?

Calafiori's well-taken opening goal in Cardiff was a timely reminder of what the former Bologna man is capable of when fully fit; said fitness issues have hampered his first two seasons at the Emirates Stadium.

Calafiori is yet to play more than 26 matches in a Premier League season, but he has made a name for himself as an unpredictable attacking force down the left-hand side, or when drifting in to a central area.

The Italian made 22 Premier League starts during Arsenal's title-winning campaign, while Piero Hincapie was included in the first XI on 20 occasions, thanks to both players' versatility.

While Hincapie may be viewed as the slightly better defender, and Calafiori as the superior attacker, it is impossible to nail down one as Arteta's first-choice left-back.