Q: Did you watch Al Hilal crush Manchester City! How did they manage it?
@Faisalehh via Instagram
A: It was an incredible match, perhaps the game of the tournament so far! A seven-goal thriller that no one saw coming. But Al Hilal didn’t crush them.
Manchester City were the only team to win all three of their group-stage matches – and they didn’t top their group by accident. Their goal was clear: avoid Real Madrid. A smoother path to the quarter-finals was targeted, with Al Hilal seen as the ‘easier’ opponent.
Instead, it was Al Hilal who stole the spotlight – and knocked City out.
Credit goes to Simone Inzaghi. His team produced a disciplined, incisive counter-attacking performance – exactly the kind he’s built his reputation on. Set up in a 5-4-1 formation, Al Hilal targeted City’s weakness in transition and capitalised on their players’ strengths, especially Malcom.
Hilal's standout forward drove forward with intent and exploited space with pace and precision. City simply couldn’t cope with his speed. Without Aleksandar Mitrovic, there were questions about where the goals would come from, but Inzaghi’s system provided the answer.
The real hero, though, was Bono. The Moroccan goalkeeper – a star of the 2022 World Cup – was exceptional. He made 10 saves to Ederson’s two, keeping City at bay despite their 30 shots (14 on target). Without him, the scoreline could’ve been ugly.
What stood out most was Al Hilal’s mentality. Inzaghi has already instilled a clear sense of belief and structure. The team worked tirelessly, tackled, and won the key duels. Ironically, it was City’s opening goal that ignited their ferocity – it seemed to provoke the Saudi side into action. From that moment on, they played with intensity and conviction, delivering one of the Fifa Club World Cup’s most dramatic upsets.
Q: Ruben Neves is one of the best midfielders in the world. Are Al Hilal building around him or do you think he’ll come back to Wolves?
@Zaido via Instagram
A: I don’t see Ruben Neves returning to Wolves anytime soon. But the admiration for him remains deep, as shown by the wave of affection that followed his decisive penalty for Portugal in the Uefa Nations League final. He left a lasting mark at Molineux; few overseas players have connected so completely with a fan base.
For now, though, Neves is flourishing at Al Hilal. He played a central role in their victory over Manchester City, helping guide the team into the Club World Cup quarter-finals. It’s been a standout month for him, both individually and collectively.
Throughout the group stage, he dictated the pace of play, anchoring midfield with assurance. In matches against Real Madrid and RB Salzburg, he led all players in completed passes – a clear reflection of his composure and intelligence.
Inzaghi’s system demands versatility. His teams shift fluidly between attacking through central channels and stretching play out wide, depending on where the spaces are. Neves fits in perfectly. He’s technically gifted, positionally astute, and equally capable of stepping into a defensive role, as he did against City, when the tactical balance requires it.
What sets him apart, though, is his ability to hit long, accurate diagonals. With Al Hilal’s forwards stretching the backline, Neves becomes the architect, picking passes few others can see. Add to that his threat on set pieces, and it’s easy to see why he’s so crucial to Inzaghi’s vision.
Q: Are you surprised that Inter lost to Fluminense in the Club World Cup? I can’t see a bright future for the Italians.
@AliRasekh via X
A: Inter’s performance against Fluminense wasn’t just disappointing, it was lethargic, disjointed, and well below the standard expected of a team with their ambitions. They switched off almost instantly, allowing Fluminense to strike early and seize control of the match.
The Brazilians were superb in maintaining a compact shape, counter-attacking with precision, and halting the Italians from establishing a playing rhythm, not unlike what Al Hilal managed against Manchester City. At the back, Fabio, their 44-year-old goalkeeper, was excellent.
Despite enjoying 68% possession, Inter offered little in the way of genuine threat. The ball moved sideways far too often, with minimal movement off it and a final third that completely lacked invention.
Lautaro Martinez was uncharacteristically sluggish, while Federico Dimarco came closest with an effort off the bar. Inter only really came to life in the final 15 minutes. By then, it was far too late.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the fatigue. This was Inter’s 63rd game of the season, and it looked like it. Static in attack, slow to recover, a team running on fumes. Perhaps that’s why Beppe Marotta has been so vocal about shifting towards younger profiles in the market.
Manager Christian Chivu needs time. For now, the verdict is simple: Inter weren’t good enough.
Q: Liverpool have done some great business in the transfer market. Do you think Darwin Nunez will go to Napoli and why do they want him?
@Kidilby via Instagram
A: I think Nunez is an intriguing fit, more suited to Antonio Conte’s vertical, high-intensity football than what Arne Slot wants to implement at Liverpool.
Nunez has always been a forward who plays on instinct rather than structure. He thrives in space, attacks relentlessly, and presses with purpose. But in a system that demands patience, close control, and combination play – like Slot’s Liverpool – he often looks disconnected. That’s not a knock on the player, just a reminder that tactical fit matters.
Working under Conte at Napoli, especially in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, Darwin begins to make sense. He works best alongside a more grounded, physical striker, someone who holds the line while he roams, presses, and attacks space. Think of the role Romelu Lukaku played under Conte at Inter. Nunez, in that context, could be devastating. His aggression, directness, and stamina are tailor-made for Conte’s demands.
But there are barriers, big ones. According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal is currently at a stalemate Liverpool want as much as €65 million for the striker, and that’s a price Napoli are unlikely to meet, especially with the Victor Osimhen saga unresolved. Napoli don’t splash cash and have to work within their financial constraints.
Liverpool, for their part, rejected offers from Saudi Arabian clubs in January because they lacked reliable alternatives up front. Now, with a need to sell before making new signings, Nunez's diminished role in the squad and the constant criticism he’s faced are likely to weigh heavily on his market value.
Q: Rasmus Hojlund looked like a great player at Atalanta. Why was he so poor for Manchester United?
@PBouHabib via Instagram
A: Who has it really worked out for at Manchester United in recent years? The club hasn’t operated under a cohesive, long-term project for some time. Squad-building involves more than collecting “best-in-class” players. You either recruit players to fit a manager’s tactical system or appoint a pragmatic coach who can maximise the resources at hand. United have done neither.
Hojlund is clearly talented, but talent alone is never enough. He arrived at Old Trafford off the back of just one season at Atalanta, where he scored nine goals in 32 appearances. In Italy, he played in a system built around verticality, fluidity, and controlled chaos.
But expecting a youngster to lead the line at United – a club with a revolving door of managers, tactical shifts, and public scrutiny – was always a monumental ask.
Ruben Amorim’s ideals demand different movement, more patience, and clinical decision-making – areas where Hojlund is still raw. His confidence has clearly dipped, further compounding the misery. His runs were predictable, his positioning inconsistent, and he was simply not producing enough shots on goal.
It must also be said that Amorim’s United didn’t generate many high-quality chances for their forwards. And strikers, no matter how talented, cannot thrive without service.
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Fixtures
Sunday, December 8, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v USA
Monday, December 9, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – USA v Scotland
Wednesday, December 11, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v Scotland
Thursday, December 12, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v USA
Saturday, December 14, ICC Academy, Dubai – USA v Scotland
Sunday, December 15, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v Scotland
Note: All matches start at 10am, admission is free
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