LONDON // Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to put an end to his winless run against Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho when the Premier League leaders visit the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a top-of-the-table clash.
Chelsea are 10 points clear of second-place Arsenal with six games remaining this season but Wenger, who is yet to beat Mourinho in 12 attempts, is in confident mood after his side’s run of nine straight wins in all competitions.
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“We have not always lost, first of all, in 12 attempts. We have come close to beating them a few times and they’ve always had very strong teams,” Wenger said.
“I’m not a great believer in history. I just think football is down to the fact that the performance on the day will decide the game and the result, so let’s focus on that.
“We are on a good run and we have an opportunity to beat them at home, and we want to take it. From a good run of form you get a good belief and we have good solidarity. We know we have passed many tests recently where we were questioned.
“It is very important for us to beat them. I think everybody on board is highly focused to achieve it. We will prepare well to do that.”
Wenger and Mourinho were involved in a touchline spat during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory in October, with the Arsenal manager pushing his Portuguese counterpart in the chest following a robust tackle by Gary Cahill on Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez.
Wenger refused to be drawn on his frosty relationship with Mourinho, but the Frenchman said that while the title looks to be out of Arsenal’s reach, victory for his side could hand them a psychological boost over Chelsea in the future.
“Our game is so popular because it is not always predictable,” Wenger said. “That is why even if you finish first this season you can be three or four places behind next season.
“Chelsea have the championship in their hands but what we can do is get closer to them.
“We want to strengthen our position in second because it’s far from being done.”
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
