Steven Gerrard had another difficult outing as manager in the Saudi Pro League as Al Ettifaq suffered a demoralising defeat at home against Al Qadisiyah.
On Saturday, first-half goals from Gaston Alvarez and Julian Quinones handed Gerrard's team their fourth defeat in the league from nine games, pushing them down to 11th position in the standings.
Murmurs around Liverpool great Gerrard's future in Saudi football have been growing louder. Reports emerged of discontent over his team's performances which Gerrard recently addressed.
"On the back of recent results in my position you are always aware of disappointment from fans. I have to take that responsibility on my shoulders," Gerrard had said.
"That is what I will do and continue to fight and work to improve the recent results. I don't react, change or get overly concerned about social media or anyone on the outside of Ettifaq's opinion. My priority is this club."
"I meet (club chief) Mr Hatem (Al Misehal) after every game and we talk football, where it is a win, loss or draw. We have fantastic support, myself, the staff and the players from the management team.
"We did meet but we meet after every single game."
However, the latest result is sure to add pressure on Gerrard and team management. After the defeat to Al Qadisiyah, Gerrard was jeered by the home crowd.
Following the loss, Gerrard accepted blame for the latest setback.
"We conceded the first goal from a set piece. Previously, we used to defend better from set pieces. The second goal was scored by a young player. The player is young, and I bear responsibility for the second goal. I bear full responsibility for using a young player in defence, as he has little experience," Gerrard said after the match.
What has added to the drama is speculation about the possibility of an opening at Scottish club Rangers, where manager Philippe Clement is also under pressure after a poor start to the season. Gerrard had earlier agreed a contract extension at Al Ettifaq until at least 2027.
Also, Gerrard kicked up a storm recently on a podcast where he seemed to suggest that he arranged team training sessions in a way that allows him to watch Liverpool matches.
Gerrard issued a clarification saying that his loyalty remains with Ettifaq.
"I want to make it abundantly clear my priority is Ettifaq, I have a contract with Ettifaq and I am in a real privileged position," he said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Result
Qualifier: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Lahore: Eliminator 1 - Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators
Wednesday, Lahore: Eliminator 2 – Karachi Kings v Winner of Eliminator 1
Sunday, Karachi: Final – Islamabad United v Winner of Eliminator 2
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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.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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