Mesut Ozil starting ‘to deliever on a consistent basis’ says Henry, which Arsenal will need

Arsenal great Thierry Henry believes Mesut Ozil is finally demonstrating the form that persuaded his old club to pay £42 million (Dh236.3m) for the player two years ago.

And the club will need him at his best, after a painful League Cup exit against Sheffield Wednesday that knocked out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring) and Theo Walcott (calf).

Arsene Wenger's side have endured a frustrating week after the high of hitting the head of the Premier League table last Saturday by beating Everton.

Arsenal’s stint at the top lasted just 24 hours but they will attempt to maintain the pressure on leaders Manchester City when they travel to Swansea City on Saturday.

Crucial to that effort, especially with the ranks thinning at the Emirates Stadium, will be Ozil’s increasingly influential contributions, said Henry. The Germany international has provided more assists than any other Premier League player this season.

“For me, he has finally started to deliver on a consistent basis. We all know his quality; he is a World Cup winner; his touch is second to none; he has vision; he shares ... everything is there,” Henry told Sky Sports.

“The only thing you can say, in all fairness, is that before he wasn’t doing it on a consistent basis.

“Now, he looks like he’s doing it every game so you have to give him credit.”

Wenger’s side will nonetheless head to South Wales still smarting from the dismal 3-0 League Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Wednesday in midweek.

The pain of that defeat was compounded by the loss of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott, with both players out until the coming international break which means they will also miss next week’s Champions League visit to Bayern Munich.

With Aaron Ramsey also sidelined, Wenger will be forced to turn to his fringe players including Alex Iwobi, who is in contention to make his Premier League debut on the right flank.

Wenger is keen not to move Santi Cazorla from the centre of midfield following the Spaniard’s impressive run alongside Francis Coquelin.

The 30-year-old admits he is enjoying the switch to a deeper position.

“It’s a position I really like, though of course it means I’m further away from the opposing area so I have fewer chances to score,” Cazorla said.

“I’m finding my best form and I’m really enjoying the new position,” he told Arsenal’s website.

“You have different responsibilities. In terms of defence, you have to defend more and you have to help the team more in terms of making sure you’re well-positioned to ensure the players in attack can stay fresh.”

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE

Join parent networks
Look beyond school fees
Keep an open mind

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

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

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TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

What are the GCSE grade equivalents?

Grade 9 = above an A*
Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
Grade 7 = grade A
Grade 6 = just above a grade B
Grade 5 = between grades B and C
Grade 4 = grade C
Grade 3 = between grades D and E
Grade 2 = between grades E and F
Grade 1 = between grades F and G

The specs

Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm

Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto

Price: From Dh139,995

On sale: now

Company%20profile

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Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed

Rating: 1/5