• Southampton striker Che Adams controls the ball during the Premier League match against Norwich City at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on February 25, 2022. AFP
    Southampton striker Che Adams controls the ball during the Premier League match against Norwich City at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on February 25, 2022. AFP
  • Southampton's Che Adams, right, scores against Norwich. AP
    Southampton's Che Adams, right, scores against Norwich. AP
  • Che Adams of Southampton scores his team's first goal past Angus Gunn of Norwich City. Getty Images
    Che Adams of Southampton scores his team's first goal past Angus Gunn of Norwich City. Getty Images
  • Southampton's Che Adams scores. PA
    Southampton's Che Adams scores. PA
  • Southampton's Che Adams celebrates scoring. Reuters
    Southampton's Che Adams celebrates scoring. Reuters
  • Southampton's Che Adams vies with Norwich City's Brandon Williams. AFP
    Southampton's Che Adams vies with Norwich City's Brandon Williams. AFP
  • Oriol Romeu of Southampton scores past Angus Gunn of Norwich City. Getty Images
    Oriol Romeu of Southampton scores past Angus Gunn of Norwich City. Getty Images
  • Oriol Romeu, centre, celebrates with Southampton teammates after scoring his team's second goal against Norwich. AP
    Oriol Romeu, centre, celebrates with Southampton teammates after scoring his team's second goal against Norwich. AP
  • Southampton's Che Adams vies with Norwich City's Brandon Williams. AFP
    Southampton's Che Adams vies with Norwich City's Brandon Williams. AFP
  • Southampton's Oriol Romeu and Norwich City's Josh Sargent, right, battle for the ball. AP
    Southampton's Oriol Romeu and Norwich City's Josh Sargent, right, battle for the ball. AP
  • Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Norwich City - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - February 25, 2022 Southampton's Oriol Romeu celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Tony Obrien EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
    Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Norwich City - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - February 25, 2022 Southampton's Oriol Romeu celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Tony Obrien EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Smith admits 'it was a difficult night' as Norwich fall deeper into relegation trouble


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Southampton pushed Norwich City deeper into relegation trouble as the Premier League's bottom club slumped to a 2-0 defeat at St Mary's.

The Saints dominated the first half and were rewarded with Che Adams' opener before Oriol Romeu scored his first goal since October 2020.

Defeat leaves Norwich rooted to the bottom of the table five points from safety.

Only three teams have avoided relegation from the Premier League after losing as many as Norwich's 17 defeats by this stage of the season.

Having played more games than any of the teams directly above them, it is looking increasingly unlikely that Dean Smith's side will avoid relegation to the Championship.

"It was a difficult night. We gave the ball away too cheaply and when you do that you're going to be under pressure in the Premier League," Smith said.

"It's a disappointment because there's so many players that played below the standards they can, and have, played. All we can do is just concentrate on the next game now."

Southampton have lost just once in 12 games in all competitions and sit comfortably in mid-table.

Norwich have scored six goals fewer than any other side in the division this season, while only Leeds have a worse defensive record.

It didn't take long for Southampton to start exposing their flaws.

Southampton's Oriol Romeu celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters
Southampton's Oriol Romeu celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters

Armando Broja tested Norwich keeper Angus Gunn from the edge of the area after Brandon Williams' wayward pass conceded possession.

Moments later, Mohamed Elyounoussi picked out Kyle Walker-Peters, whose long-range drive was held by Gunn.

As Southampton's pressure mounted, Gunn adjusted well to get his body behind Stuart Armstrong's deflected effort.

The over-worked Gunn made an even better save to keep out Elyounoussi's close-range volley after Broja bundled James Ward-Prowse's cross towards the winger.

Adams headed a good chance wide from Ward-Prowse's corner, but the Scotland striker made amends in the 36th minute.

Tino Livramento's cross caused panic in the Norwich defence and when Gunn failed to handle the delivery, Adams stumbled but managed to hook his shot over the keeper and Max Aarons.

It was an ugly strike but Adams wasn't complaining as he celebrated his fourth goal in seven appearances in 2022.

Norwich had lost 50 of the last 51 Premier League games in which they trailed at the break.

There was no change to the pattern in the second half as Southampton flooded forward.

Armstrong and Ward-Prowse were both denied by Gunn, who also palmed away Kyle Walker-Peters' powerful volley.

Out of the blue, Norwich fashioned a chance to snatch an equaliser but Grant Hanley headed wide from Pierre Lees-Melou's cross.

Lees-Melou whipped over another inswinging cross that whistled just wide without any of his team-mates applying the finishing touch.

Just as Norwich finally had hope, Romeu killed them off in the 88th minute.

Ward-Prowse's corner was headed out only as far as Romeu, who smashed a half-volley past Gunn from the edge of the area.

Name: Colm McLoughlin

Country: Galway, Ireland

Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free

Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah

 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Dubai World Cup draw

1. Gunnevera

2. Capezzano

3. North America

4. Audible

5. Seeking The Soul

6. Pavel

7. Gronkowski

8. Axelrod

9. New Trails

10. Yoshida

11. K T Brave

12. Thunder Snow

13. Dolkong 

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The biog

DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister

RESULTS

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

UAE%20ILT20
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Updated: February 26, 2022, 7:53 AM