Premier League leaders Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. EPA
Premier League leaders Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. EPA
Premier League leaders Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. EPA
Premier League leaders Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. EPA

Premier League talking points: Liverpool face Chelsea test, Spurs reaction, winless wonders


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The Premier League hurtles back into action after the international break with a London derby kicking off this weekend's schedule.

On Saturday, the early game (3.30pm kick-off UAE) sees Spurs host West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Five matches follow at 6pm with Fulham facing Aston Villa at Craven Cottage, Ipswich Town entertaining Everton, Manchester United taking on Brentford at Old Trafford, Newcastle United versus Brighton on Tyneside and Southampton against Leicester City at St Mary's Stadium. Bournemouth tackle Arsenal in the late game (8.30pm).

There are two games on Sunday starting with Wolves up against Manchester City at Molineux and Liverpool's home clash with Chelsea at Anfield. That leaves one game for Monday evening when Nottingham Forest are up against Crystal Palace.

When will winless wonders break their duck?

As the season enters Matchday 8, there remain four teams in the top flight who have yet to taste victory this campaign: Wolves, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

Wolves and Southampton prop up the rest having secured one point apiece so far with the former conceding the most goals (21) in the division and the latter scoring the fewest (four).

Southampton at least showed some fight last time out, taking the lead against Arsenal before losing 3-1 in North London. “They are not the games that are going to define us,” said manager Russell Martin at the Emirates Stadium. “The games that define us are coming up.”

And that begins with a home game against Leicester who only secured their first win at the seventh attempt when they edged out Bournemouth 1-0.

Wolves fell to a 5-3 defeat at Brentford before the break in what was an embarrassing defensive performance from Gary O'Neil's side which would result in set-piece coach Jack Wilson being sacked from his role.

“The way we are playing, the way we are defending right now is going to get us in relegation and we have to be honest about that right now,” said captain Mario Lemina.

Is Kovacic the man to fill Rodri's boots?

Unfortunately for O'Neil, his next attempt to end a seven-game winless streak sees them take on reigning champions Manchester City, who have now gone a club record-equalling 30 matches without defeat.

The match at Molineux sees the worst defensive record going up against the division's top scorers (18 goals) led by the Premier League's most ruthless attacker in Erling Haaland who already has 10 goals.

Wolves would have been given a glimmer of hope by City's struggles to beat Fulham before the break when the London club could have been 3-0 up had they taken their chances at the Etihad.

Wolves also took the honours in this fixture last season, with their 2-1 win one of only three defeats inflicted on Pep Guardiola's men all campaign.

Rodri's absence through injury is another plus point for Wolves although his midfield replacement Mateo Kovacic stepped up to the plate against Fulham with an unlikely double.

“He is not a top goalscorer but he maybe saw how many goals Rodri has scored in that position and did copy and paste,” joked Guardiola. “He scored two fantastic goals … [and] was really important.”

Can Spurs bounce back from Brighton debacle?

Going into an international break on a high is a welcome boost for clubs but one that was not afforded to Ange Postecoglou's Spurs two weeks ago.

The Tottenham manager could only look on in disbelief as his team capitulated in spectacular fashion as their 2-0 half-time lead against Brighton evaporated in 18 second-half minutes, resulting in a 3-2 defeat.

“I’m absolutely gutted with that,” admitted Postecoglou. “It’s a terrible loss for us, as bad as it gets, and there’s only one way to fix it and that’s my responsibility.”

The Australian will be demanding a reaction from his team against a West Ham side who were the recipients of that pre-break bounce when they thrashed Ipswich 4-1 at the London Stadium.

That win gave the Hammers their biggest winning margin in the league since last December and their first home victory in the league this season.

"We are focused 100 per cent for the next challenge, which will be a very hard challenge,” said manager Julen Lopetegui on Thursday. “They're one of the best teams in the Premier League and I like to see them a lot, they have a big intensity, good players and good ideas.”

How will Liverpool cope without Alisson?

Arne Slot's flying start to his Liverpool reign will be given its biggest test yet when they take on one of the 'Big Six' for only the second time this season.

The table-topping Reds ripped apart a wafer-weak Manchester United 3-0 on enemy turf at the start of September but should find Chelsea a tougher nut to crack at Anfield this weekend.

Liverpool's battling 1-0 win at Crystal Palace last time out came at a cost, though, when goalkeeper Alisson Becker picked up a hamstring injury that is set to keep him out until late November.

It means Caoimhin Kelleher, who looks set to leave the club next summer due to lack of game-time, is likely to deputise for the Brazilian No 1. But Republic of Ireland keeper Kelleher did not enjoy the greatest of international break with his error gifting Greece a goal as the Irish were beaten 2-0 in Athens.

Slot insists he would be more worried if Kelleher was not complaining about being on the bench and is confident the Irishman will not let him down. “He has shown many times in the past few years, and even in pre-season, that’s he’s ready every time we need him,” said the Dutch coach.

Can Chelsea maintain away day form?

Another manager who appears to have had an immediate impact since joining his new club in the summer is Enzo Maresca at Chelsea.

Since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the campaign, Chelsea have gone six games unbeaten and are up to fourth in the table, four points shy of Liverpool.

“When we started the season, to think by the second international break you are fourth and the team is playing in the way we are playing ,” said Maresca. “For sure, it's something I am very happy [about].”

There was frustration when the Blues' three-game win streak came to an end with a frustrating home draw with Nottingham Forest in a feisty game at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca will be hoping Cole Palmer can add to his 28 goals and 16 assists since the start of last season, while the Blues have won all three of their away league games so far with a 10-2 aggregate score.

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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores

Barcelona 2

Pique 36', Alena 87'

Villarreal 0

While you're here
The biog

Family: Parents and four sisters

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah

A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls

Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction

Favourite holiday destination: Italy

Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning

Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes

Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure

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

Brief scoreline:

Liverpool 5

Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'

Huddersfield 0

MATCH INFO

Group B

Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

BeIN Sports currently has the rights to show

- Champions League

- English Premier League

- Spanish Primera Liga 

- Italian, French and Scottish leagues

- Wimbledon and other tennis majors

- Formula One

- Rugby Union - Six Nations and European Cups

 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Joy%20Ride%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adele%20Lim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAshley%20Park%2C%20Sherry%20Cola%2C%20Stephanie%20Hsu%2C%20Sabrina%20Wu%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Bharat

Director: Ali Abbas Zafar

Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.

For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Structural%20weaknesses%20facing%20Israel%20economy
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK 

Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV

Results

4pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Dirt); 1,400m
Winner: Solar Shower; William Lee (jockey); Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

4.35pm: Handicap; Dh165,000 (D); 2,000m
Winner: Thaaqib; Antonio Fresu; Erwan Charpy.

5.10pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Turf); 1,800m
Winner: Bila Shak; Adrie de Vries; Fawzi Nass

5.45pm: Handicap; Dh175,000 (D); 1,200m
Winner: Beachcomber Bay; Richard Mullen; Satish Seemar

6.20pm: Handicap;​​​​​​​ Dh205,000 (T); 1,800m
Winner: Muzdawaj; Jim Crowley;​​​​​​​ Musabah Al Muhairi

6.55pm: Handicap;​​​​​​​ Dh185,000 (D); 1,600m
Winner: Mazeed; Tadhg O’Shea;​​​​​​​ Satish Seemar

7.30pm: Handicap; Dh205,000 (T); 1,200m
Winner: Riflescope; Tadhg O’Shea;​​​​​​​ Satish Seemar.

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')

Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')

Asia Cup Qualifier

Venue: Kuala Lumpur

Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September

Fixtures:

Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore

Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman

Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal

Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore

Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu Sep 6: Final

 

Asia Cup

Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Schedule: Sep 15-28

Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EDate%20started%3A%20January%202022%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Omar%20Abu%20Innab%2C%20Silvia%20Eldawi%2C%20Walid%20Shihabi%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20PropTech%20%2F%20investment%3Cbr%3EEmployees%3A%2040%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Multiple%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEquestrian%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAbdullah%20Humaid%20Al%20Muhairi%2C%20Abdullah%20Al%20Marri%2C%20Omar%20Al%20Marzooqi%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Suwaidi%2C%20and%20Ali%20Al%20Karbi%20(four%20to%20be%20selected).%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EJudo%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Narmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20(66kg)%2C%20Nugzari%20Tatalashvili%20(81kg)%2C%20Aram%20Grigorian%20(90kg)%2C%20Dzhafar%20Kostoev%20(100kg)%2C%20Magomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20(%2B100kg)%3B%20women's%20Khorloodoi%20Bishrelt%20(52kg).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECycling%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESafia%20Al%20Sayegh%20(women's%20road%20race).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESwimming%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Yousef%20Rashid%20Al%20Matroushi%20(100m%20freestyle)%3B%20women%3A%20Maha%20Abdullah%20Al%20Shehi%20(200m%20freestyle).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAthletics%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMaryam%20Mohammed%20Al%20Farsi%20(women's%20100%20metres).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Results:

First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15

Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24

Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Updated: October 18, 2024, 4:22 AM`