Hernandez must start Community Shield as Clattenburg named ref
Published:Javier Hernandez already has a Community Shield pedigree with a goal in his only previous involvement in the curtain raiser in 2010 and the refereeing appointment of Mark Clattenburg for this year’s renewal should only enhance his prospects of starting for Manchester United.
Man Utd are unsurprisingly heavy favourites at 1/4 to beat Wigan in what will be David Moyes’ first competitive match in charge, with both clubs having different managers to those that ensured their involvement in the Community Shield.
Typically, barring the odd exception, the Community Shield has regularly seen teams field full-strength line-ups in recent years, but there are clear reasons as to why Moyes should ensure that Hernandez gets the nod in attack.
The Red Devils won both Premier League meetings with Wigan last season 4-0, with Hernandez on target on each occasion, netting a double in the success at the DW Stadium.
Meanwhile, he is also prolific in Man Utd fixtures that have Clattenburg as the man in the middle.
Looking solely at the last six examples of this, Hernandez averages a goal a game and has scored in four different fixtures.
Interestingly, the two in which he has failed to find the target are the only two that Man Utd have not won in this period.
Wigan’s results with Clattenburg in charge are not the best, as they have only won three of their last 13 he has officiated and failed to win either of the two fixtures last season.
But Wigan have already shown in the FA Cup final that they are capable of springing a surprise in a one-off game and Owen Coyle memorably holds a Premier League victory over Man Utd from his time as Burnley manager.
It is 11/1 that Wigan win the Community Shield and end a run of four victories in the last six instalments for Man Utd.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
