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Welcome to the Nutmeg, each week, you can expect: Exclusive previews of major football events – Spotlight features on top football creators – In-depth analysis of trending football culture.
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MUST WATCH MATCHES

Manchester United vs Liverpool | Sunday, September 1st | 11:00am EST

If history tells us anything, it’s that all form goes out the window when these two meet. Most betting sites have Manchester United as the slight favorites as Liverpool have yet to win at Old Trafford since 2021. However, adding their last 10 matches together, Liverpool wins the aggregate with a whopping 26-7.

Liverpool, now under the guidance of Arne Slot, have started the season with two solid wins, but this is their first real test. Slot has tweaked Liverpool's style a bit, emphasizing more control and possession, which has allowed players like Mohamed Salah to thrive early on. With the late addition of Federico Chiesa from Juventus, Slot will have one more weapon to go after United’s weakened back line.

On the other hand, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are coming off a frustrating loss to Brighton, and they're dealing with a bit of an injury crisis, especially in defense. With key players like Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw sidelined, United will need to dig deep to bounce back at Old Trafford.

Juventus vs AS Roma | Sunday, September 1st | 2:45pm EST

Juventus have started the season on a high under new manager Thiago Motta, boasting back-to-back 3-0 victories against Como and Hellas Verona. The Bianconeri are looking strong, organized, and ready to reclaim their dominance in Serie A after a few challenging seasons. Their defense has been rock-solid, with Dusan Vlahović already showing his goal-scoring prowess. However, they will be without Timothy Weah and Khephren Thuram due to injuries, which could impact their attacking options.

On the other hand, Roma are struggling under the leadership of Daniele De Rossi, who took over mid-season last year. They’ve had a shaky start with a 1-1 draw against Cagliari followed by a surprising 2-1 defeat at home to Empoli. Roma’s squad is in a state of flux with potential departures and injuries affecting their stability. Paulo Dybala, a key figure in their attack, will be pivotal if Roma are to upset the odds in Turin.

Historically, Juventus have been dominant at home against Roma, winning 11 of their last 13 Serie A encounters in Turin. The Bianconeri will be favorites to extend that record, especially given their current form and home advantage. However, with the unpredictable nature of early-season fixtures and Roma’s need to turn their season around, anything can happen​

RONDO

🧤Time for an early retirement. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny took to Instagram on Tuesday to let the world know that he’s decided to take an early out from his career. In his 15 years of pro football, he’s been able to fill some big shoes and has solidified himself as one of the best to have done it with clubs like Arsenal, Roma, and most recently, at Juventus where he had to fill Buffon’s shoes. “Today, although my body still feels ready for challenges, my heart is not there anymore. I feel that right now it is time to give all of my attention to my family…”

🐦Mbappe’s X account got hacked. On Thursday, Kylian Mbappe started saying some pretty interesting things. And his English was impeccable. Well, it turned out that it wasn’t actually him. He baited a move to Man City, told the world that Ronaldo was his GOAT, took some shots at Chelsea and Tottenham, and launched a crypto token, $MBAPPE. All in a day's work. You can find the full thread now deleted tweets here.

💰Lukaku is still worth it. Romelu Lukaku has transferred yet again. This time he’s headed to Napoli for a price tag of €30 million plus an extra €15 million in add-ons. This officially bumps him up to the second-highest cumulative transfer fee. He clocks in at a total of €374 million across his six transfers (not including loans). That’s €127 million more than Ronaldo, and he only trails Neymar at €400 million.

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