Positive signs for Man Utd’s new chapter despite defeat by City in Community Shield

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City win 7-6 on penalties
There were more new Manchester United signings wearing suits in the Royal Box at Wembley than there were in the first glimpse of Erik ten Hag’s team for this latest chapter, of the revival or otherwise of the deposed kings of the English game.
This might be how it is for a while still now for the new Ineos executive hires: chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox. They were assembled on public display for one of the first times, after the various wrangling over departures, and the United performance they watched will not have been discouraging.
There were, Roy Keane would say on ITV pundit duty, reasons for United to be upbeat if Ten Hag’s squad could stay injury-free – which is about as much as United might hope for at this stage. Less than 80 days earlier they had found a way to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final. This time Ten Hag’s players endeavoured to do the same again in the Community Shield and fell just short.
They endured a first 30 minutes when they could scarcely get the ball from a City team without many of its biggest names. Later United would create much better chances. Against the better sides, and there are a few in the Premier League, it will be a case of finding a way. Yet there are not many ways past a team of the quality of City, who equalised through Bernardo Silva’s 89th-minute header and have years and years of success propelling them forward.
This is the standard to which United aspire – as demonstrated by the fact that Berrada and Wilcox both built their reputations at City. The club have made a big call to stay with Ten Hag, a manager who still feels like he may be glancing nervously over his shoulder, whatever assurances have been made. It will take years to rebuild the empire – if that is what is to happen – and establish some order over the playing style, and this strange assortment of players. In the meantime this kind of performance would not be a bad compromise for United.
They struggled through the first half hour, in which a City team without Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Rodri, and others bent their opponents out of shape. Later there would be a starring role for Oscar Bobb in creating the City equaliser. The 20-year-old Norwegian was one of a group of young academy players who started for Pep Guardiola. They included Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly, both 19; and the returning loanee James McAtee, 21. Even so City looked comfortable.
Yet United managed to hold them at bay and they did create the better chances. On the face of it this looked like the most improvised of sides – starting with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans at centre-back and Lisandro Martinez at left-back. Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are on their way and much rests on their success, as well as that of the new signing Joshua Zirkzee who did not come off the bench.
It might have been second choice, but it was United’s defence on this occasion that acquitted itself best. City created very few good chances while United had some of their own. In attack, Ten Hag tried a variation on the false nine theme again with Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo high and wide and Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount joining them through the middle. Casemiro has had a full pre-season, Ten Hag said, which has benefited the player, and it all looked quite adequate.
There was a first run of substitutes just before the hour including Alejandro Garnacho, who would score United’s goal, Scott McTominay, Facundo Pellistri and the 20-year-old former Brighton academy boy Toby Collyer. By then there had been two chances for Rashford who just could not seem to find the focus to bury either, and an earlier opportunity for Mount. United looked competitive, if not dominant and they would have their moment.
What could have been for Man Utd… 🫣#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/DpJTl8dtxt
The reality is they are back at the foot of the mountain, under new executive management, and just beginning the Berrada-Ashworth rebuild. Eventually, all but a few of these players will be ushered out before United get close to fulfilling what the vision might be. But for now the restrictions of their situation – and in particular the profit and sustainability rules – means that this squad is what they must work with, under the manager whom they have backed for now.
Garnacho’s goal, after a good run from Pellistri, was a confident few steps in from the left and a tidy strike at the near post. With eight minutes to go, the 2024 Wembley double over City was on. This was where the experience of Guardiola’s players saw them through. It was Bobb who created the opening on the right side and Silva’s well-taken header at the back post. Silva would miss a penalty in the shootout – City’s first – but Sancho let United back in when Ederson saved from the Englishman.
Jonny Evans skied United’s eighth penalty and Manuel Akanji would finish the job for City. Afterwards Ten Hag would defend Rashford in terms of his confidence, and Sancho’s readiness to take on these difficult moments. Ten Hag started his United career on the back foot two years ago this week – with those defeats to Brighton and then Brentford at the start of the season. He lost six of his first ten games at the start of last season.
He is yet to have a comfortable start to a United season, and should he do so third time around that would be a small improvement. Those are the kind of steps the new regime would surely accept for now.
The performance was great, we were winning both in the game and the penalty shoot-out, so it’s tough to take. It hurts in your stomach. We have to use this pain to give us motivation to do better. We have shown that we compete against City and we have to take that belief into the season. 
Jadon is a very good penalty-taker. Today he missed; that’s part of the game.
I was pleased that we managed to be on an equal level with City by getting Rashford higher up the pitch and defending. We put pressure on the ball, and then in possession we got some overloads in midfield and had some very good spells. There are many positives.
“We have to believe that we can compete with City”Erik ten Hag reflects on Man Utd’s penalty shoot-out loss to Man City🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 #ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/zxFLTikGPi
It’s nice to start the season with a trophy, especially against our rivals. I know how much it means to the fans.
Ederson is the best penalty taker we have along with Erling and Kevin. His penalty was really, really good.
Oscar Bobb is really good in small spaces. His work ethic is so aggressive in the short and long spaces. What an action [for the goal].
We were excellent for 35 minutes but the ball was like a balloon. I’m sorry, I know they want to play with the ball but it’s not good. Both teams suffered. We lost a lot of balls and they are one of the best teams in the world in transition.
It’s nice to play this game because it means you won something the previous season. I’m not responding to your question [about potentially winning five titles in a row] – let’s see how the players come back. We have 11 months of competition. The target is not to win the Premier League, it’s to win the next game.
“He’s our best penalty taker alongside Erling and Kevin”Pep Guardiola praises Ederson for his penalty abilities 🙌🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 #ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/a72GwU1kKJ
It’s a great feeling, the first time we’ve won it in a few years. And to do with a young group is great. We didn’t get too downbeat when we went behind. When I put the cross in I thought it’d be for Erling, but fortunately Bernardo was in there was well.
It’s a trophy and that will give us a lot of confidence. No negatives.
[Will we see more of you this season?] Hopefully!
Incredible 🤩Birthday boy Bernardo Silva equalises for Man City right at the death 🙌#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/irvIL0aQfF
The United players and staff form a guard of honour for the City squad, who stroll up to collect their medals before Kevin De Bruyne does the trophy-lifting duties. This is their first Community Shield triumph since 2019, which was also the only season in the last seven that they failed to win the Premier League. If any team can break the spell, it’s this lot.
Here’s more on the news that Manchester United have agreed a £60m double deal to sign Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.
When you miss your last penalty you don’t have as much confidence so I let the other players shoot first. But I had a good feeling – I practised yesterday and I told [Ederson] I’d put it down the middle. 
It wasn’t easy. We played well, United got better and we tried to stay in the game. It was a great action from Oscar and a great header from Bernardo.
Along with Erling, Ederson is the best penalty taker in our team. I know when he takes a penalty, it’s a goal.
It’s a great start to the season. I haven’t won the Community Shield so I’m happy to win this trophy. Hopefully we’ll get the next one soon.
Akanji scores! City 7 United 6 Manuel Akanji missed against England at the Euros, but he blasts his penalty down the middle to win the Community Shield for Manchester City!
United’s players look disappointed, especially Evans, but overall it was an encouraging day for Erik ten Hag. City have won another trophy, their first Community Shield in 2019, and had the best player on the pitch in the brilliant young Norwegian Oscar Bobb.
The moment Manuel Akanji won the Community Shield for Man City 🏆#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/eUvbAjFFx1
Jonny Evans lifts a poor penalty over the bar, a kind of slow-motion Jaap Stam. City are one kick from victory.
Jonny Evans misses for Man Utd and Man City are Community Shield champions 🏆#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/wDzVgAc9SH
Ruben Dias runs up slowly… and sends Onana the wrong way. Lovely penalty.
He looked nervous but it was a calm penalty: he stopped, sat Ederson down and put it into the other corner.
On we go. Matheus Nunes blasts a majestic penalty into the top left corner. What’s he doing taking the sixth penalty?!
Ederson got a slight touch, diving to his right, but it was hit with power and that was decisive.
As against Real Madrid, the goalkeeper Ederson scores with frankly offensive nonchalance. Wonderful stuff.
Casemiro, whose performance today is the biggest plus for United, scores with ease. Ederson dives right, Casemiro goes to his right.
The debutant Savinho scores, sending Onana the wrong way, and it’s now effectively sudden death.
Poor Jadon Sancho, who missed in the Euro 2021 final at Wembley, has had his penalty tipped onto the post by Ederson. It was a brilliant save at full stretch, with the ball bouncing back across the goalline to safety. 
The big man had a quiet game but he’s done his job from the spot. Onana, who originally offered Haaland about two-thirds of the goal, went the wrong way again.
Excellent penalty, clipped into the side netting to his left. Ederson went the wrong way.
Onana tries to put off De Bruyne, who ignores all the nonsense and sends him the wrong way.
Dalot jogs on the spot, runs up and just forces his penalty through the hands of Ederson. It was hit with enough power that Ederson could only push it into the side netting.
Bernardo Silva, whose tame chip was saved in the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, has failed to score again. It was a poor penalty, sidefooted to his right but nowhere near the corner. Onana went the right way and saved quiet easily.
He calmly sends Ederson the wrong way.
Eventually. Nobody seems in a hurry.
And so to penalties. That was an enjoyable game, played with a decent intensity. Both goals came in the last 10 minutes. Alejandro Garnacho’s was all his own work; Bernardo Silva’s equaliser was set up superbly by Oscar Bobb.
City are finishing the stronger. De Bruyne pings a trademark cross-shot that is claimed by the diving Onana.
Oscar Bobb has probably been the best player on the pitch today and that was a fabulous assist for Bernardo Silva. It remains to be seen whether Guardiola gives him regular game-time this season but he’s certainly impressed in the build-up to the new campaign. A thrilling young talent.
Five added minutes. City have brought on Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake for Bobb and Gvardiol.
89 min: City 1 United 1 (Bernardo) Bernardo Silva celebrates wildly after scoring a superb equaliser! It was superbly made by Bobb, the player of the match in my opinion. He received a short ball in the area, Martinez tight to his back. In a flash Bobb was gone, away from Martinez to stand up a cross that was headed in at the far post by the flying Bernardo. He got in front of Pellistri, whose lack of defensive experience was exposed. Lovely goal though, and a quite beautiful turn from Bobb.
Incredible 🤩Birthday boy Bernardo Silva equalises for Man City right at the death 🙌#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/irvIL0aQfF
There have been some suggestions in recent weeks that Amad Diallo has made the right-wing position his own, thanks to his impressive pre-season. But here comes Alejandro Garnacho to remind everyone of his quality. Brilliant goal by the 20-year-old, a player who always makes things happen. Perhaps Marcus Rashford’s place in the team is the most under threat ahead of next week’s league opener against Fulham?
Bernardo Silva is booked for a spiteful late challenge on Garnacho.
United substitution Jadon Sancho comes on for Marcus Rashford.
82 min: City 0 United 1 (Garnacho) Alejandro Garnacho gives United the lead with a fine solo goal! He has grabbed this game by the scruff since coming on and now he’s given United the lead. Garnacho received a simple pass on the right and moved straight infield with only thing in mind. He ran square across the edge of the area area, past two static defenders, and guided a precise left-foot shot back across Ederson. That’s a terrific goal from another young player who is emphatically ready for regular first-team football.
Alejandro Garnacho brilliantly gives Man Utd the lead 🤩Could that be the winner for Erik ten Hag’s side…? 👀#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/SOht0b0DY1
City substitution Bernardo Silva for James McAtee, who had a promising game without catching the eye like Oscar Bobb.
Chance for United! Garnacho moves infield with purpose and hits a long-range shot that deflects behind for a corner.
It’s swung deep and headed down by Rashford towards McTominay, who misses his kick six yards from goal! That was another great chance for United.
You should never read too much into the Community Shield. The big takeaways are probably that Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis are ready, and Casemiro might not be finished after all.
Rashford hits the post! A classic break from United. Fernandes flips an early pass into the space for Garnacho, who vrooms down the right and crosses early towards Rashford, unmarked at the far post. He has to take the shot with his left foot and slices it off the outside of the post. That’s the second clear chance Rashford has had today; he’d love a goal today to leave all the doubt of last season behind.
Another big chance fades away for Man Utd as Marcus Rashford cannot find the back of the net 🫣#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/rZRZ77pfhS
It’s been a quiet few minutes. No sign yet of Kevin De Bruyne, Josuha Zirkzee, Jadon Sancho, Bernardo Silva…
Fernandes runs onto Casemiro’s early long pass and shoots straight at Ederson from 20 yards. At the other end, the last man Martinez comes across to make a lusty sliding tackle on Nunes.
An excellent pass from Onana allows McTominay to get the wrong side of Nunes, who brings him down and is booked.
Bobb shuffles past two or three players on the right and crosses beyond the far post. Savinho meets the dropping ball with a half-volley that is well blocked by Pellistri.
Moments later Savinho beats his man and puts in a fine cross that is cleared at the far post by Martinez. He already looks like a fun player to watch.
There’s no extra-time in the Community Shield, so things stand we’re 25 minutes away from a penalty competition.
McTominay almost has a chance after a dangerous break, but he allows Fernandes’s through pass to run across his body and Dias makes a good challenge.
These are the updated line-ups.
Man City (4-2-3-1) Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Nunes, Kovacic; Bobb, McAtee, Savinho; Haaland.
Man Utd (4-2-4-0) Onana; Pellistri, Evans, Martinez, Dalot; Collyer, Casemiro; Garnacho, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford.
Double substitution for City Savinho, making his debut, and Matheus Nunes come on for Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly.
The goal machine Gvardiol curls a few yards wide from distance. Good effort. The attack started with Doku roasting the makeshift full-back Pellistri on the left.
In fact Pellistri has gone to right-back, with Dalot moving to the left and Martinez returning to his usual position.
Quadruple substitution for United Scott McTominay, Toby Collyer, Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri come on for Amad, Mount, Mainoo and Harry Maguire.
I think that means Casemiro will drop into defence.
Fernandes teases a beautiful first-time cross that misses everyone in the middle and is headed behind for a corner by Lewis. It was crying out for Keith Houchen or Mick Harford to thump a flying header past Ederson.
O’Reilly leads a promising City break and finds Haaland. He’s challenge on the edge of the D by Maguire and McAtee throttles the loose ball well wide.
Disallowed goal! Fernandes runs onto a pass from Martinez, turns and beats Ederson with a glorious curler from the edge of the area. But then the flag goes up and replays confirm Fernandes was marginally offside.
Bruno Fernandes thought he’d given Man Utd the lead with a wonderful finish 💥But it was ruled out for offside 🫣#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/gRL4nTT6YH
McAtee wins a 50/50 with Casemiro and moves dangerously towards the United area. Dalot comes across to make a good challenge.
Rashford, who had a quiet first half, makes a promising run into the area from the left but is eventually crowded out.
James McAtee begins the second half. No substitutions on either side yet.
We saw some footage of Pep Guardiola losing his rag just before half-time, I think when Ederson booted the ball out of play. I shudder to think what he’d be like as a head chef. Imagine if you forgot to reduce the pesto sauce!
As is usually the case with the Community Shield, it has been a little ponderous and stodgy at times. But there have also been some moments of excitement, especially when the wingers have got on the ball. Bobb and Doku have been City’s best route forward, while Diallo has been the most impressive of United’s players. United looked rather vulnerable at first but they have grown into it. Let’s see if they can maintain that after City use some of the quality on their bench. 
No goals at Wembley. After a painfully slow start, the match started to liven up and there was some eye-catching skill from some of the younger players: Rico Lewis, Amad and particularly Oscar Bobb.
Kovacic strolls through midfield, covering 50 yards before sweeping the ball across to Doku on the left. He cuts inside and drives just wide from the edge of the area. Onana, who might have been unsighted, didn’t move.
The right-back Rico Lewis rocks up on the left side of the penalty area, beats Mainoo with a lovely body swerve and tries a cutback that is blocked by Maguire.
Casemiro, who looked finished at the end of last season, is having an excellent half, particularly in possession. It would be a game changer for United if he got back to anywhere near his best.
Chance for Rashford! Delightful football from United, a one-touch move involving Fernandes, Mainoo, Mount and finally Casemiro, who guides the ball to his left for Rashford to hit first time. He opens his body, Thierry Henry-style, but curls wide of the far post. That would have been a beautiful goal.
Man Utd show off another impressive move but Marcus Rashford cannot find the finish 😮‍💨#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/cLI45wPAd4
City have been the better team in this opening 35 minutes but United can at least say they have put together the best attacking move. A wonderfully quick exchange of passes between Diallo and Casemiro, and suddenly City’s defence had been unpicked. Either Diallo should have shot or Mount should have been quicker to react. You decide!
United are having their best spell of the game. Fernandes’s fierce long-range strike is headed up in the air by Dias, who staggers backwards and then falls over. He looks okay.
Chance for United! Amad cuts inside from the right again, plays a gorgeous one-two with Casemiro and slides the ball right across the face of goal. He was trying to give Mount an open goal but he should maybe have gone for it himself.
Better from United. Amad cuts inside from the right, zig-zags smoothly between Gvardiol and Doku but then curls well wide. Lovely run though.
That’s one risk of picking a very strong team in the Community Shield: it doesn’t look great if you are outplayed by a City team with only a handful of regulars.
McAtee hits the post! City are well on top now. United are caught trying to play out, with Martinez playing a dodgy pass that is intercepted play Bobb. He reverses a quick pass to release McAtee, whose curling shot beats Onana and thumps off the far post.
The first chance of the match. Oscar Bobb zips infield from the right, beats Martinez and Evans through sleight of hip to create a shooting chance but then thrashes itover the bar. That finish aside, he’s playing beautifully.
Just before that chance, Lewis’s deflected cross fell awkwardly to Haaland beyond the far post. He hooked the ball back towards goal and United cleared.
Not the most thrilling start to this game but Jeremy Doku has brought some energy to proceedings in the last few minutes, producing a delicious nutmeg on Diogo Dalot and then skipping past Harry Maguire.
We’re yet to see much from United’s two midfielder-striker hybrids, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes. Equally, we’ve not seen much from Erling Haaland, either. Hot day, pre-season… it all feels a bit slow and summery so far.
Even with a less experienced side, City are controlling the tempo of the game. It hasn’t been a rip-roaring start, mind you.
A thrilling run from Doku, who beats Dalot (nutmeg) and Maguire (beaten for pace) with laughable ease, gets to the byline and lifts a cross that just evades O’Reilly in the middle.
Jeremy Doku showboating with a cheeky nutmeg 🤩#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/oQ6sRP5eaF
Haaland tries to chase a backpass, runs into Maguire and flattens him. Maguire gets slowly to his feet and shakes hands with Haaland. Maybe it is a friendly after all.
Bobb makes a lovely run down the right, then plays a sharp square pass to O’Reilly on the edge of the D. He gets caught in two minds and is dispossessed by Casemiro.
A dangerous inswinging corner from Bobb is headed behind for another by Casemiro. Bobb takes again, Maguire heads clear.
A long pass is controlled deftly on the run by Rashford. Then he tries a bit of fancy footwork, gets in a muddle and knocks the ball out of play. The City fans enjoyed that.
United’s formation is as expected, 4-2-4-0. They’re quite narrow out of possession and City are starting to ping a few crossfield passes in an attempt to open things up.
I’ll give you a shout when the game starts.
A quiet start. Plenty of possession for United, most of it in their own half.
Bruno Fernandes gets the match under way, with United kicking from right to left as we watch. Lisandro Martinez has started at left-back.
Kick-off is a few minutes away so there’s some time for a bit of transfer news before it all gets going: Manchester United and West Ham United are now close to an agreement (at last) for full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. We understand it’s not quite agreed yet but it’s getting there. Wan-Bissaka is not in the squad today.
(I know 4-2-4-0 looks a bit pretentious but United will almost certainly be playing without a centre forward, as they did in the FA Cup final win over City.)
Man City (possible 4-2-3-1) Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, O’Reilly; Bobb, McAtee, Doku; Haaland.Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Savinho, Nunes, Kabore.
Man Utd (possible 4-2-4-0) Onana; Dalot, Maguire, Evans, Martinez; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Mount, Fernandes, Rashford.Substitutes: Bayindir, Collyer, Eriksen, McTominay, Pellistri, Antony, Sancho, Garnacho, Zirkzee.
Erik ten Hag has just swerved a question about Matthijs de Ligt joining United from Bayern Munich, but it is being reported that they have agreed a £43m deal with him and also a £17m fee to sign the right-back Noussair Mazraoui.
“We have to be more consistent”Erik ten Hag discusses what Man Utd need to do to beat Man City and have a better season than they did last season ❤️#ITVFootball | #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/mCFVYsEmUa
Today’s result may have no bearing over the rest of the 2024/25 season, but bragging rights are well and truly on the line in Manchester. Back your predictions for the match on these best betting sites. 
Erik ten Hag has picked a pretty strong side, with no debutants in the starting XI. He wants to get his hands on that shield! Amad is preferred to Jadon Sancho and Antony on the wing. Alejandro Garnacho, who was at the Copa America, is also among the substitutes along with Facundo Pellistri. United have more right-wingers than, well never mind. The new signing Joshua Zirkzee is also on the bench.
In the red corner at Wembley… 🔴🥊#MUFC || #CommunityShield
The 19-year-old midfielder Nico O’Reilly starts for City along with Oscar Bobb and James McAtee, who spent the last couple of seasons on loan at Sheffield United. The bench includes Kalvin Phillips and the new signing Savinho. Jack Grealish is out with a minor injury.
Your City side at Wembley! 🩵XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias (C), Gvardiol, Kovacic, O’Reilly, McAtee, Bobb, Doku, HaalandSUBS | Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Savinho, Nunes, Kabore#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/TMSuFfhOuL
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of the Community Shield between Manchester City and Manchester United. Look, we can’t really call this the start of the new season; there’s no curtain to raise because nobody lowered one in May. Football is a 365-day business now, a never-ending story of hype, hope and talking about the counter-press in a haughty tone in an attempt to suggest you’re more intelligent than is objectively the case.
While you never know with a Manchester derby – it almost went off at Denis Irwin’s testimonial in 2000 – the Community Shield is usually somewhere between friendly and competitive. The proximity to Euro 2024, the final of which was less than four weeks ago, means a number of key players on both sides will be missing.
United also have their usual injury problems, with at least five first-teamers unavailable. But there’s an upside to all these absences: both sets of fans should get to see new signings and, even more excitingly, young prospects with infinite potential. The 17-year-old left-back Harry Amass has impressed for United in pre-season and is likely to start today, while Oscar Bobb looks like the next serious baller off the City production line.
There will be new players, young players and perhaps reborn players. Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Kalvin Phillips, Jadon Sancho and Antony are among those with a point to prove this season. 
The actual result doesn’t really matter, especially as the team that wins the Community Shield hardly ever wins the title. The main thing for both teams, especially United, is to retain a positive mood ahead of the start of the Premier League season next weekend. And to suffer no more injuries.
Kick off 3pm.