MANCHESTER // The cliche holds that records are there to be broken. So, on this occasion, were Norwich City hearts. As Manchester United erased a 106-year statistic from the history books by winning a 19th successive home league match, they displayed the cruelty of champions.
Anderson and Danny Welbeck delivered the telling touches, yet in a match where United got the points, Norwich merited the plaudits. They frustrated the league leaders and had their opportunities to finish them off. Instead United completed a perfect year on their own patch.
Yet a pertinent statistic is that, even in conceding twice, Norwich presented the most resistance to Sir Alex Ferguson's side at Old Trafford.
"Two years ago we were in League One," manager Paul Lambert said, providing a reality check and a measure of their rapid improvement. On a ground where Arsenal's defence had been breached eight times and Chelsea's and Tottenham Hotspur's thrice apiece, Norwich's goal was essentially unthreatened until the final quarter.
Then United demonstrated that they possess an invaluable ability to turn unpromising performances into victories, as well as a squad with rare depth. Each goal involved a replacement, albeit men at either ends of their careers.
For the opener, the veteran Ryan Giggs's corner was headed on by Wayne Rooney. Anderson, lurking like a professional poacher rather than a man with six previous goals in a four-year United career, redirected the ball over the line. "You don't expect Anderson to score with a header," Ferguson said.
The Brazilian was in more familiar territory for the second, sending a probing pass in for Park Ji-sung to set up Welbeck, another replacement, for a simple finish. While Wayne Rooney subsequently clipped the bar with a deft chip, even a second goal was harsh on Norwich.
By that stage, Lambert had three strikers on the pitch, boldly pursuing a point. However, Norwich's two clearest chances, either side of Anderson's goal, went to their left winger.
They were the opportunities for Anthony Pilkington to complete a fairy-tale return. None of Norwich's assortment of outsiders have travelled quite as far or as fast as the Lancastrian.
Released by United a decade ago, he has taken the long route back to Old Trafford, reviving his career at Atherton Collieries, in English football's 10th flight.
Briefly, his roots at lower levels showed. When Wes Hoolahan attempted to thread a pass through the United defence, Antonio Valencia met it, but a lax touch enabled the ball to reach its intended target as Pilkington robbed him, advanced and angled his shot just past the post.
"An incredible chance," Ferguson said.
"Anthony Pilkington's chance might have been the turning point but that is being harsh on him," Lambert added.
Pilkington should have scored then; he could have equalised later. A shot deflected off Anderson, stranding Anders Lindegaard but bouncing back to safety off the post.
"If you don't take your chances against a team like that, it comes back to haunt you," Lambert said. "You can't keep them quiet for 90 minutes."
His side mounted a fine attempt to, though: in an uneventful first hour, there was a solitary opening of note, not least because it was so improbable.
Out of nothing, the artisan aimed to be the artist, Darren Fletcher meeting Nani's corner with a back-heeled volley. Marc Tierney, on sentry duty on the goal-line, denied the Scot the sort of goal that would have belied his image as an unflashy, unassuming worker.
Those, indeed, were the characteristics Ferguson felt his side showed. "We showed grit and determination and never gave up, which are great qualities to have," he said. "They were very difficult to break down."
Indeed they were. Individuals such as Russell Martin, impressive in the heart of defence, and Tierney, terrific at left-back, merit praise, but it was a collective effort.
Pilkington's misses were swiftly forgiven. "There's no blame attached to anybody today," Lambert said. "Those lads gave me absolutely everything."
And yet, callously, they were rewarded with nothing.
sports@thenational.ae
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
More coverage from the Future Forum
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
