It has been a long wait, but soon Romelu Lukaku will directly earn Chelsea a Premier League point or three. The club’s €100m-plus signing has scored an impressive number of goals - three in four league games - since his return to the club, but, as yet, none of them have been the single match-winner or match-saver in Chelsea’s domestic campaign.
That’s partly because Lukaku is one goalscorer among an unusually broad set. He was bought to solve an issue - the absence of a prolific, world-class leader of the forward line - and is fulfilling it in two ways: with his own goals and by opening up space for others to hone their sometimes rusty marksmanship.
Chelsea are top of the table, outscored only by Manchester United and with a defensive record second to nobody. Those defenders have also been pulling their weight at the other end of the pitch. Five of the club’s 12 league goals so far have come from defenders, and another two from deep-lying midfielders, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante, who was helped onto the scoresheet in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur by a significant deflection.
All of which encourages Tuchel to believe he has a squad that is not only deep, but blessed with diverse strengths. He will examine more of that depth and flexibility in the League Cup, when Chelsea take on Aston Villa in the third round.
Tuchel will rest some senior players, giving a grateful pat on the back to the likes of Thiago Silva, whose header put Chelsea ahead at Tottenham. A shot from close to the edge of the Spurs penalty area by fellow central defender, Antonio Rudiger, completed the scoring.
Rudiger is only an occasional scorer, though Tuchel appreciates that when the German centre-back does contribute, they can be vital. His previous Chelsea goal pushed the club through their tense bid to finish in the top four last season, the opener against Leicester City in the penultimate fixture.
Thiago has always been an asset at attacking set-pieces, as Tuchel learnt when the veteran Brazilian, who turns 37 on Wednesday, was his captain at Paris Saint-Germain. “A fantastic professional,” Tuchel beamed of him. Thiago is not the tallest of central defenders, but there are coiled springs in his thighs. He has an excellent leap, and a fine sense of timing, the key to his goal at Spurs, where he met a Marcos Alonso corner to register his first goal since last December.
Alonso’s precision with a dead ball has been a boon for Tuchel. Chelsea’s first of their 12 goals so far in the league came from a free-kick from the Spaniard, whose career is on the up again, having drifted under Frank Lampard. Alonso was utterly marginalised for four months until Tuchel arrived in January. He now appears to have leapfrogged England international Ben Chilwell in the hierarchy at left wing-back.
Right wing-back Reece James scored his first Chelsea goal for over a year in the 2-0 win against Arsenal last month. Central defender Trevoh Chalobah scored in his Premier League debut in the 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace. They are among 11 Chelsea players to have registered goals in competitive matches already this season.
That spread of threat is a useful tool in a title race, as Manchester City, whom Chelsea host on Saturday, would testify. Last season’s English champions achieved top place in the Premier League with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan contributing more goals than anybody in a City squad whose 83 league goals were distributed among 16 players.
“We are in a good place at the moment,” said Tuchel, indicating opportunities in the starting XI would be extended for the visit of Villa. “The group is a strong group and we have to take care of it.”
Tuchel spoke of “a trust in the bench, so we can turn to people to have an instant impact.”
And amid all the goals from the back, he also looks forward to some from his under-pressure frontman. Timo Werner, the €50m striker, is yet to get off the mark this season.
“In the first games [of the season] I don’t think he was happy with his performances,” said Tuchel, “but Timo is more relaxed and fluid in his movements. There are clear signs he is in a good way. Against Tottenham he gave us an impression of how dangerous he and Romelu can be together.”
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
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
