Can anyone stop Man City machine?
New Premier League season but the same old story so far: Manchester City top, Erling Haaland banging in the goals.
Since losing the Community Shield to Arsenal on penalties, treble-winners City have steamrollered their way to four league victories on the spin – scoring 11 goals, conceding just two – as well as securing their fourth trophy this year when they defeated Sevilla to win the Uefa Super Cup.
City now have the only remaining 100 per cent record in England's top six divisions and while Saturday's opposition, West Ham United, are themselves unbeaten, Pep Guardiola's mean machine heads to the London Stadium as firm favourites.
And leading their early season charge has once again been Norwegian goal monster Haaland who already has six goals from four games – including a hat-trick against Fulham.
“I'm back. No problem for me. I am always hungry,” said Haaland after his fifth treble for the club. “Important win, we go into the international break having won four in four. Good start to the season. We will only get better and better from here.”
Postecoglou aims to keep Spurs smiling
After the misery, moaning and dire defensive displays under previous managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Tottenham Hotspur players and fans alike must be finding life under Ange Postecoglou a breath of fresh air.
The first Australian to manage in the English top flight has made an immediate impact at the North London club following years of negativity on and off the pitch.
Postecoglou's first win in charge was an impressive 2-0 defeat of Manchester United but the goals were free-flowing before the international break when Burnley were battered 5-2 at Turf Moor, with Son Heung-min grabbing a hat-trick.
“There is not a football manager or player on this planet who doesn't want to win. My thing is that it's not just about the winning, it is about the way we play,” the Australian told TalkSPORT radio. Music to Spurs fans' ears as they look forward to Saturday's game at home to Sheffield United.
VAR hope for controversy free week
When VAR was introduced at the start of the 2019/20 season, it was accepted that it would take a while for players, coaches, fans and even the officials themselves to become comfortable with the new technology.
But here we are, three full seasons later, and the VAR blunders are still coming thick and fast; from the opening weekend of the season, when Wolves were somehow not given a late penalty at Manchester United, through to a Manchester City goal not being disallowed for offside against Fulham before the international break.
“It looked like the goalkeeper tried to take the centre-forward’s head off,” said a disbelieving Wolves manager Gary O'Neil after the match at Old Trafford when United's Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic without touching the ball.
“It was offside,” admitted City striker Haaland after VAR had failed to spot Manuel Akanji clearly in an offside position as Nathan Ake's header bounced past him and into the net. “I feel bad for them – I would be fuming after this as well.”
For the sanity of all concerned, it would be nice to have a controversy-free week from the VAR officials at Stockley Park.
Newcastle in need of Euro tonic
It was always going to be a tricky campaign for Newcastle United after last season's fourth-place finish ended a 20-year wait for Champions League football.
The squad was strengthened over the summer to cope with the extra burden of European football, with Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes all arriving on Tyneside. And all looked well in the world after their opening weekend 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa.
But Eddie Howe's side have since had a tough run of games with defeat to Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.
If they lose at home to Brentford on Saturday, it will be the first time the Magpies have lost four league games in a row since January 2021 when the much-maligned Steve Bruce was in charge and the club was still owned by Mike Ashley.
“The tale is very similar to last week [against Liverpool] we had chances to score and we didn't take them and at this level you can get punished the other way and that's what happened,” said Newcastle manager Howe after the Brighton defeat.
A win against the Bees would end that losing streak and also be the perfect tonic ahead of their opening Champions League group-stage game against AC Milan at St James' Park on Tuesday.
Promoted sides struggling to make a point
Last season was an all too rare one for the Premier League when all three promoted clubs managed to secure their top-flight status.
Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest became the first trio since Newcastle, Brighton, and Huddersfield Town in 2018 to achieve the feat.
In fact, this has only been done in two other seasons: Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers all secured a second year in the top flight in 2001/02, while 2011/12 saw Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City and Swansea City stay up.
This time round, things are not looking good for Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United. The three newcomers currently occupy three of the bottom four places, with no wins from 10 games, one point between them and having conceded 27 goals.
Respectively, they face away games against Fulham, Spurs and Forest this week and it would not be a surprise if there were no more points on the board between them by Monday night, never mind that elusive first win.
“To be good enough for the Premier League, just take a look at the teams that went down last year and the international players they had – being good enough is a very high threshold,” admitted Burnley manager Vincent Kompany.
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Persuasion
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Dubai World Cup Carnival card:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 | 2,410 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
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
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
