I used to get loads of stick from Liverpool fans when Manchester United played at Anfield, but I expect Patrice Evra to get far more abuse tomorrow than I ever did
The United captain will be the most unpopular man on Merseyside after he correctly accused Luis Suarez of making racist comments.
But the Liverpool supporters are certain to let Evra know what they think and I well remember how hostile a visit to Anfield can be
The rivalry between Liverpool and United is the biggest in English football and the intimidation starts when the team coach gets close to the ground.
The streets around Anfield are so tight that the home fans can get really close to you. We would have good police protection, but the fans are right by the coach when you disembark.
You would hear the abuse and see the hatred in the faces of those giving it. "You're rubbish Cole … You'll never score today … Worst striker in the league Cole … What a waste of money." And much, much worse. Strikers tend to get the most abuse because they are likelier to score. They were worth undermining.
I would put my head down and go straight into the dressing room, completely unfazed by the abuse. On the contrary, I enjoyed it. Sir Alex Ferguson knew that and always used to pick me. I repaid him by scoring goals.
Seeing the hate in those people made me more determined to send them home even angrier. Seeing them laugh at me if I did miss a chance didn't damage my confidence, it just made me more determined to score. I was completely relaxed at Anfield in front of all those who had paid to see me play.
I usually did all right - I scored four goals in seven league starts for United against Liverpool.
They were among the highlights of my career, but there was no love lost between the players.
I can recall games at Anfield when I didn't speak to a Liverpool player throughout the four hours I was at the stadium. The managers may socialise after the game, but the players don't. What's the point in speaking to people you don't like?
I loved playing at Anfield though, because it felt like I'd reached the top as a footballer.
The Liverpool fans really get behind their team and they are a great club with a fine history.
Love them or loathe them, any player has to respect what Liverpool have achieved, even if they are now living off the past and going on about trophies they won in the 1970s and 1980s.
And even though Evra will have to run the gauntlet during tomorrow's FA Cup tie I think he will be able to handle it.
I know Evra. He lives near me and I see him around a lot. He's always very respectful and pleasant.
He has qualities that made him the United captain. They include a strong personality that will not be fazed in the slightest by what awaits in Liverpool. He's an experienced professional who has played in hostile environments before. This will be nothing new.
And he can hold his head high knowing that he did the right thing in exposing racism in football. I hope more players follow his lead and I wish more would have done it in the past.
Suarez's defence was laughable and Liverpool could have handled situation much better.
Those T-shirts supporting Suarez, to me, that condoned the actions of a man who made racist comments, to say that it's OK to racially abuse another player. If I were Glen Johnson, I would never ever have worn that T-shirt. Not as a black man, never. The Suarez affair has clouded another poor season for Liverpool. They were dreadful at Bolton last week and are six points off a Champions League spot and 16 points behind United.
Such a gap would have been unheard of, not only in the 1970s and '80s when Liverpool dominated, but in the '90s when Liverpool put up more of a challenge.
Kenny Dalglish's side have won just four of their 11 home games in the league, though they have drawn seven and not lost one.
Given United's poor form at Anfield, a ground where United haven't won since 2007, a draw and then a replay would be a good result for United. No matter how poor Liverpool are, they raise their game against United.
The domestic cups are more important to Liverpool because they're doing nothing in the league and they're not in Europe.
Liverpool knocked Manchester City out of the Carling Cup on Wednesday to reach Wembley for the first time since 1996.
I hope the players don't make the further mistake of wearing dreadful white suits like they did in '96.
Andrew Cole's column is written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Meydan race card
6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m
7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m
7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETelr%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E65%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20and%20payments%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enearly%20%2430%20million%20so%20far%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Racecard
5.25pm: Etihad Museum – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m
6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
6.35pm: Poet Al Oqaili – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
7.10pm: Majlis Ghurfat Al Sheif – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
7.45pm: Hatta – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
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
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
