Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he is focusing on the positives after Wednesday's win over Newcastle kept alive their hopes of European football for next season.
United's potential was on display in an entertaining 3-2 Premier League victory against Newcastle as three of the team's least experienced and youngest players all scored – Kobbie Mainoo (19), Amad Diallo (21) and Rasmus Hojlund (21).
"I see the positives, I see that this team is developing, I know the reasons why we are not performing," Ten Hag said. "No team will perform when the whole [injury-depleted] back four is not available, across the season.
"Even striker Rasmus Hojlund, three times injured, [Marcus] Rashford also injured, so we have had our problems across the season and that has a negative impact on the results.
"[But] you see players performing and you see players progressing like the youngsters and that is very positive, there is a high potential in this club. So, there are also many positives in this season, but I can't mention this.
"You know why – at the end of the day, we have to win trophies. And in the Premier League, and in the Champions League, we didn't perform what people expect from us."
United remained eighth in the table with Wednesday's win but level on 57 points with seventh-placed Newcastle in the fight for a European berth next season.
The victory at Old Trafford in their home finale felt like a small reward for fans who have endured one of the worst home campaigns in the club's history, and Ten Hag addressed the supporters he called the "best in the world" after the final whistle.
"We wanted to thank them for sticking with us, we are in difficult times," he told Sky Sports. "We are in a transition at this club and the results are not what we expect. We also have our reasons, but it's still a disappointing season.
"I am very pleased [with Wednesday's win]. In the past months, we had many games where we were in winning positions but we couldn't get over the line."
If Ten Hag's men win the FA Cup final against holders Manchester City, they will play in the Europa League next season. However, if City win, United will need to finish seventh to secure a place in the Europa Conference League.
United, who have never finished lower than seventh in the Premier League, play at Brighton on Sunday and need to better Newcastle's result at Brentford on the same day to move up to seventh place.
Meanwhile, Newcastle's late-season charge has been checked in recent weeks. Five wins in seven matches set the Magpies on course for Europe but a draw to Brighton and now this defeat to United leaves them in danger of missing out altogether just one season after returning to the Champions League.
"We had chances to do more, but the way we defended the three goals wasn't good enough – this season compared to last we have conceded goals," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said. "It's something we have to change longer term."
On his team's European chances heading into the final day, Howe added: "I don't know. In this moment we are disappointed to not win today. It was an opportunity to grab Europe instead of looking around at other results."
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
New schools in Dubai
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
