Rafael Benitez has said he is delighted with Everton's start to the season but is expecting much more to come ahead of the Premier League clash against Burnley on Monday night.
Everton experienced an understated summer transfer window, with just £1.8 million ($2.5m) spent and most of their business focused on free transfers. Entering the new campaign with holes in the squad, initial expectations were comparatively lower to previous years, but two wins and a draw have increased optimism at Goodison Park.
While the fixture list might have been kind, having faced Southampton, Leeds and Brighton so far, Benitez is predicting Everton to push on from their promising start.
"I am really pleased. We are doing well, the team in this period is very good with their commitment and the way they are playing," he said ahead of Monday's visit of Burnley. "We are scoring goals, we had a clean sheet (against Brighton last time out) so there are a lot of possibilities.
"But it is still too early because we have to expect even more from this group of players as they have the quality and right mentality, so they will be better.
"In football sometimes the approach of the players, the commitment, the desire and way they play is good enough but you cannot get the results you are looking for.
"I am expecting - and not because I am not happy - better things and better play and more exciting games because I think the players can do it."
England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in all three Premier League matches so far but Benitez believes a player who netted 16 league goals last season, Everton's highest total since Romelu Lukaku in 2017, has more to give.
Calvert-Lewin, 24, has been hampered by a niggling injury which forced him to pull out of England's squad for their recent World Cup qualifiers.
"He is doing well but is one of the players from whom we are expecting more," Benitez said. "He was not fully fit and he was making an effort to be on the pitch, he has been training with pain so I am really happy to see him trying in the training sessions when he is not fully fit.
"I know we can talk about strikers and goals but I think he has a contribution for the team in terms of effort, assists and goals and am convinced he will do it."
While Benitez is expecting even more from Calvert-Lewin, Burnley manager Sean Dyche has laid down a similar marker for Dwight McNeil.
The 21-year-old winger has earned increasingly rave reviews for his performances, and Dyche has seen McNeil evolve into one of the top-flight's hottest properties since his debut in 2019.
"Dwight has been fantastic and I've been saying it for months and years - he started young and he progressed to earn the right to be a regular in the side," Dyche said.
"I still think there's more there, but I think he's a young player and to amass that amount of appearances so quickly is a great achievement."
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Tomorrow 2021
Tomorrow 2021
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World Mental Health Day
The%C2%A0specs%20
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
The specs
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
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Rating:**
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
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The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
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Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
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