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00:00 We've seen three months of action in European football and we've seen enough to make an
00:05 assessment of how some of the best teams are doing at the moment.
00:09 And some are up to speed while some are not doing so well on a downward spiral.
00:15 And it is that focus right here on The Nutmeg today in this episode.
00:20 My name is Amidesh Utugbo and welcome to The Nutmeg on Guardian TV.
00:29 And the weekend provided us with enough to do this assessment.
00:34 Of course we start with Manchester City versus Manchester United, the only two teams that
00:38 won trophies last year.
00:41 City winning the treble, Manchester United winning the Carabao Cup.
00:44 And the gulf in difference was quite clear.
00:48 I mean Manchester City are miles ahead even when they are not full strength, they are
00:53 miles ahead of Manchester United.
00:55 And let's start with Man United.
00:57 It's been 10 years and not much has changed since Alex Ferguson has left.
01:03 And again it was on display how the club seem not to have the cohesion, the chemistry that
01:09 a top team needs.
01:10 They have a lot to do.
01:11 In midweek they face Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
01:14 It's a repeat of the Carabao Cup final.
01:17 And seriously I do not think that Manchester United will make it out of that one.
01:22 I do not think that Manchester United have what it takes to defeat Newcastle United.
01:27 Because these days Newcastle United, you might hate to hear it, but Newcastle United
01:30 are a bigger team, they play better football and they are more competitive.
01:34 And it's difficult to see, especially with Newcastle United, who would want to prove
01:37 a point at Old Trafford.
01:39 For Manchester City though, I think Manchester United was just a fair test of where they
01:44 are at.
01:45 I think there are tougher tests to come.
01:46 And that starts with their next game against Chelsea.
01:49 And they face Chelsea in the next Premier League game.
01:51 In fact after Chelsea they go up against Liverpool and I think that provides a sterner test.
01:56 I think Liverpool for me are the biggest threat that Manchester City will deal with.
02:02 City have the next round of games to prove that they can be champions again.
02:05 It's a quest to be champions for the fourth time in a row.
02:10 And I do think that that monopoly might come to an end.
02:15 But hey, that's how it is in England.
02:17 Let's move to the Serie A where things are even as competitive as it always is.
02:22 And Napoli and AC Milan face each other.
02:25 And also I think it was a true reflection of the results where both teams are.
02:30 Napoli, after winning the Scudetto, has not been rosy under Rudi Garcia thus far.
02:34 AC Milan, their bane seems to be getting results in big games.
02:40 And Stefano Pioli definitely has to answer questions.
02:43 In the Champions League they fumble.
02:44 They are yet to score in the Champions League.
02:47 And that is really, really difficult to understand when you have the plethora of options that
02:52 you have got.
02:53 Raphael Leal, Olivier Giroud, top players, they have not got any goal.
02:58 And in Serie A, they have not looked like they are the path when it comes to the big
03:02 games.
03:03 They have played quite a number already and they have not been convincing.
03:06 Already they are third.
03:07 Inter look at the more comfortable side.
03:09 Inter, by the way, getting a one-nil win against Roma.
03:13 And it tells you why.
03:14 They are consistent.
03:15 And I think it's that consistency that will hand Inter, except there is a twist over the
03:20 course of the season, I think.
03:22 Inter are the better placed team to make it as champions of Scudetto, winning the Scudetto
03:29 this time around again.
03:30 How about in Spain though?
03:32 Jude Belliam.
03:33 I have to do some sort of apology here for Jude Belliam because I didn't particularly
03:39 rate him.
03:40 Yeah, I have to admit that.
03:41 I didn't rate him.
03:42 I didn't think he was going to do all he has done already.
03:45 But hey, Real Madrid don't have a striker and he has taken on to the job of goal scoring
03:51 admirably in the El Clasico.
03:53 If you could do that scoring brace in a clutch moment as they stop each time to win it for
03:58 Real Madrid away from home, then I do think that you deserve all of the hype, all of the
04:04 attention, all of the accolades and praise that you get.
04:07 Interesting times ahead.
04:08 Three months of football.
04:10 This is my assessment.
04:11 Long season ahead and we're going to see how it pans out for sure.
04:15 Thank you very much for watching.
04:17 That's our show this time around.
04:18 You can follow our content here on The Guardian Nigeria when you subscribe to our channel
04:23 and also you can get the latest when you hit the notification bells.
04:28 And yeah, I'll see you the next episode.
04:30 My name remains Ayomidi Shusbo.
04:32 Thank you very much for watching and see you next time.
04:35 Bye.
04:35 (Music)
04:39 (Music)