It is rare in the modern era for the Premier League’s big six to be in action on the same day, so there was always likely to be plenty of talking points from England’s top flight when Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur all took to the field within the space of a few hours on Saturday.
The above sextet spent close to £450 million (Dh2.5 billion) on new signings in the summer as they attempted to get an edge on one another ahead of the upcoming domestic campaign.
It was three stars of last season who grabbed many of the headlines, however. Wayne Rooney (999 minutes), Harry Kane (640) and Alexis Sanchez (873) all broke goal droughts that had gone on for far too long to help their respective sides pick up significant victories.
Rooney’s effort in United’s 3-0 win over Sunderland saw his name return to the scoresheet in a Premier League fixture for the first time since April.
It was hardly the tidiest of finishes, the England captain bundling in from close range on 46 minutes after some good build-up play from Anthony Martial down the right, but it could be a vital, psychological step as Rooney attempts to rediscover his touch in front of goal.
GALLERY: Man United go top, Sanchez catches fire for Arsenal, Chelsea stumble at Newcastle
Rooney, 29, has been disappointing so far this campaign. While he already had four goals in all competitions, his performances in the Premier League in particular were significantly short of the level United fans have grown accustomed to.
While Rooney, despite his goal, was still some way below his best on Saturday, he looked more comfortable in the No 10 role with Martial leading the line ahead of him. The 19-year-old Frenchman’s speed and willingness to run beyond defenders should help create space for Rooney, who has struggled so far this season when asked to play as the focal point of United’s attack by Louis van Gaal.
Kane, his England strike partner, has also struggled for goals this term. Before the weekend, the man who netted 21 times in the Premier League last time out had yet to beat a Premier League goalkeeper in 2015/16.
That unwanted record was vanquished on Saturday when he netted his team’s third in their superb 4-1 thrashing of Manchester City at White Hart Lane. Though Kane, 22, appeared to be marginally offside, he deserves credit for reacting quickest to guide the ball past Willy Caballero after Christian Eriksen’s free kick smacked against the woodwork.
Kane, like Rooney, is another who excels when there is movement around him. The recent improvement of Eric Lamela and the arrival of the dynamic Son Heung-min should help to bring out the best in the Tottenham centre-forward.
The most emphatic response, though, came from Alexis Sanchez, who took home the match ball after scoring three times in Arsenal’s 5-2 triumph over Leicester City.
Since the Chilean tends to be deployed out wide rather than as a centre-forward, goals should not be the principal measure of his contribution to the team.
Nevertheless, with Sanchez scoring on 16 occasions in the Premier League in 2014/15, a run without one at the start of the current campaign was cause for concern. The former Barcelona player’s treble, which included a terrific long-range effort late on, saw him announce his return to form in spectacular style.
A dry patch in front of goal can lead to a depressing lack of confidence when chances present themselves.
Moreover, since much of a forward’s work is instinctive, overthinking situations, a natural consequence of the loss of self-belief, can work to a player’s detriment when it comes to finishing moves off.
Getting off the mark will have done Rooney, Kane and Sanchez the world of good. The key now is to build on their first strikes of the season and ensure their next run without a goal is not long enough to be labelled a drought.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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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.
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)
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
