Manchester City chase an unprecedented fifth Premier League title in a row, but off-field doubts surround the English champions ahead of the new season.
Under Abu Dhabi ownership and Pep Guardiola's astute tactical leadership, City have become the dominant force in English football, winning six Premier League titles in seven seasons under the Spaniard.
Guardiola, though, is entering the final year of his contract, and on more than one occasion last season hinted that his time at the Etihad Stadium is nearing its end.
"Nine years today in the same club is an eternity," Guardiola said during pre-season. "I want to be sure it's the right decision. Not just for me, for the club, for the players."
City start their campaign on Sunday with a trip to Chelsea, but a cloud hangs over the champions ahead of their title defence.
The long-awaited hearing into 115 Premier League charges for alleged breaches of financial rules, originally expected to take place before the end of the year, could be brought forward to next month, according to a report in The Times.
The newspaper said on Monday that the start of an independent commission hearing, planned for November, would now begin in mid-to-late September. The hearing is scheduled to last for 10 weeks, with a verdict likely to be delivered early in 2025.
Neither the Premier League nor Manchester City have commented.
The Times added that the outcome of a separate legal case, which City have brought against league rules that regulate how clubs strike sponsorship or revenue deals with businesses linked to their owners, is now due in the next fortnight.
That in turn, said the paper, would allow the hearing into the 115 charges – all of which City deny – to be brought forward, provided there are no further legal delays.
City are facing the charges for alleged breaches of regulations and financial rules between 2009 and 2023.
If found guilty, City could face points deductions and even relegation from the Premier League.
Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions last season for breaches of profit and sustainability rules (PSR), with promoted Leicester City set to face similar consequences this season.
The need to meet those regulations and a summer of both European Championship and Copa America action have been blamed for an unusually slow start to the transfer window from City and other Premier League clubs.
City have only added Brazilian winger Savinho and on Monday agreed the sale of Argentina international Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid for a fee of €85 million.
The 24-year-old striker arrived at City for just €16m in January 2022 from River Plate, winning two Premier League trophies and the Champions League among other silverware.
Alvarez also helped Argentina lift the World Cup trophy in December 2022 and the Copa America in 2021 and 2024.
"Today I say goodbye to this amazing club, with a lot of emotion," Alvarez told City's official website. "These have been two very special years. During this time, I have grown and learnt a lot – both as a player and as a person."
Alvarez scored 36 goals for City in 103 appearances across competitions.
Fatigue and an aging squad could also be a factor, with several City players involved in the and European Championship this summer.
Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden (England), Nathan Ake (Netherlands), Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias (Portugal), Rodri (Spain), and Manuel Akanji (Switzerland) were all involved at the Euros in Germany.
De Bruyne has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, with 2022 champions Al Ittihad said to have approached City over the 33-year-old's availability. De Bruyne, whose contract expires in 2025, said in June that he is not ruling out a move, though Guardiola has said the Belgian is staying put.
Playmaker De Bruyne has been integral to City's near decade of dominance since joining from Wolfsburg in 2015, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
However, concerns over the midfielder's fitness and ability to stand up to the physical demands of another season of English football have persisted since an injury-interrupted 2023/24 campaign.
Arsenal a force to be reckoned with
Arsenal look the best-placed challengers to take City's crown after finishing second in each of the past two seasons.
Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is Arsenal's only major summer signing to date, strengthening what was the best defence in the league last season.
But the Gunners are the coming force in the English game. Mikel Arteta's squad was the third youngest in the league last season and features a host of stars such as William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli yet to hit their peak years.
"I see Arsenal playing at the same level as last season," Guardiola said. "They are on fire. Every year it looks like they are more and more difficult."
Liverpool ran City and Arsenal close for the majority of last season before a dip in form cost them a glorious finish to Jurgen Klopp's reign.
Arne Slot has been given the daunting task of replacing the charismatic Klopp, who won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at Liverpool.
The former Feyenoord manager needs a fast start to ensure there is no hangover from Klopp's departure and resounding friendly victories over Arsenal, Manchester United and Sevilla were a step in the right direction.
"We both like the fans to come into the stadium and see a team that plays with a lot of energy, that plays good football," said Slot on the similarities between his and Klopp's style.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag survived an internal review into his position after their worst Premier League finish of eighth.
Ten Hag held onto his job largely thanks to a shock FA Cup final win against Manchester City last season.
The Dutch boss has been backed by United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, with the signings of Leny Yoro – who will miss the first three months of the season due to injury – and Joshua Zirkzee expected to be followed by a swoop for Bayern Munich defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.
Chelsea are also under new management after Enzo Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino, who departed Stamford Bridge after only one season.
However, Maresca inherits a chaotic situation with more than 50 players on Chelsea's books after another free-spending window snapping up young talent from around the globe.
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
The years Ramadan fell in May
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
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The%20specs
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The five pillars of Islam
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The five pillars of Islam
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
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MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
