Jack Grealish is eyeing Manchester City’s hectic end of season with nothing but excitement and desire.
The mercurial England forward is back training with the reigning Premier League champions after helping the Three Lions to a successful start in their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Italy and Ukraine.
With England already having established a stranglehold on their group, Grealish will now concentrate on trying to chase down Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and ousting Bayern Munich who stand in the way of City reaching another Champions League semi-final.
A packed end of season schedule begins on Saturday with a blockbuster domestic contest against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in which a City victory would, temporarily at least, cut Arsenal’s lead to five points with the Gunners still to visit the Etihad Stadium.
The two-legged UCL affair with Bayern Munich then looms large on the horizon and there’s an FA Cup semi-final with Sheffield United not far away either.
Grealish, whose form has improved sharply in his second season under Pep Guardiola, wants to play in all those games and does not fear burn out.
“I just love playing football. Playing football matches is the best thing you can do,” he said.
“It’s something that I love doing. I just want to play in every game possible. The most important time of the season is now here. We’ve still got three trophies to aim for and I feel I am in the best form since I moved to City.
“I think it’s a confidence thing really. At the moment, I feel like one of the main players, and I’m the fittest I have been. That comes down to playing a lot of games on the bounce and playing in big games, just making an impact really, scoring against Arsenal and United, getting assists at Chelsea away and then Arsenal at home in the Cup, big games like that. I’m really confident.”
Grealish, 27, who is about to reach a half century of Premier League starts for City following his highly-scrutinised £100 million move from Aston Villa, revealed his rich vein of form has not been triggered by doing anything differently.
There has been no special fitness plan or diet and the midfielder puts his run in the City starting line up purely down to heightened self-belief.
“You always want to be doing well, but you know in yourself when you are playing well, and how confident you are. That’s what it probably is,” he confirmed.
“When you feel fit and you are playing a lot of games, you just feel good in yourself and that’s what I’m doing at the moment. City are winning a lot of games and I’m getting goals and assists, and helping the team in important matches.
“When you are playing week in, week out, it is so much easier to have a rhythm. That’s what I have at the moment. In the last 15 games the only two I didn’t start were the two cup ones, Burnley and Bristol City. It means a lot even to me, and to my confidence that the manager is trusting me in these big games.”
It’s not unusual for Guardiola to sit key players out in certain matches. Star names Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden have all warmed the bench in recent matches.
So there is no complacency in Grealish’s make-up as he strives to be on the team sheet for the visit of Liverpool to the Etihad in Saturday’s early kick-off.
“In the back of my mind the fact that Pep is trusting me in big games helps the confidence,” he said. “And I do feel I have repaid him, played my part, done well. And I think that is why he is keeping me in the team.
“You know you have to keep the standards high, even more so now I’m playing for City. You have a dip in form or a few bad games and it turns into quite a big thing, ‘oh Jack’s not playing’. Not just me but anyone of the players. There is a pressure to keep performing but that’s part of football and playing for a team that is challenging for every trophy.”
If Grealish continues his sparkling run he could be a very busy man. City, who have won their last six matches in all competitions and are unbeaten in 10 outings, have a minimum of 14 games left to play this season and possibly four more to add to that if they are successful in the FA Cup and Champions League.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score):
Manchester City (0) v Tottenham Hotspur (1), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Brief scores:
Scotland 371-5, 50 overs (C MacLeod 140 no, K Coetzer 58, G Munsey 55)
England 365 all out, 48.5 overs (J Bairstow 105, A Hales 52; M Watt 3-55)
Result: Scotland won by six runs
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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