Jose Mourinho insists the Premier League title race will not be decided until the final moments of the season after Chelsea put themselves in with a chance of topping the table at Christmas.
Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday moved Mourinho’s second placed side to within two points of leaders Arsenal.
Chelsea’s next league fixture takes them to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal and a victory in north London would take them to the top of the table ahead of the hectic festive programme.
But, even if Chelsea’s prospects suddenly look a lot brighter after a recent wobble, Mourinho played down the prospect of striking a blow against their major rivals in the race for the title.
“I think in this league to be top of the league by December or even by the end of January is not crucial. I think it will be open until very late,” the manager said.
“It’s very hard, every game, the distances they open and they close, I think it is very hard.
“Of course we want to win and we go to Arsenal with the objective of being at the top of the league. But I don’t think it’s crucial.”
Mourinho has spoken of his team as being a work in progress and the performance against relegation-threatened Palace was again unconvincing.
Yet despite acknowledging there is more to come from his team, Mourinho believes their rise into second place reflects the winning mentality at the club.
“I’m not surprised we are in the position we are because it is in our nature,” he said.
“It is in the DNA of this club over the years to try to fight for trophies and that is my way of work too.
“We all know this is a transitional period, we all know we have just a few players from the winning side from the past.
“We all know we have lots of young talent to improve so we know it’s a transitional period.
“I believe in another club with a different profile everybody would say okay lets work and wait, the results will come in the future.
“But we are not like that. We want to build and at the same time we want to fight for titles and at this moment in the Premier League we are there just two points behind the leaders.”
Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead in the 16th minute but it took a 34th minute strike from Brazil midfielder Ramires to secure the points after Marouane Chamakh had equalised for Palace.
“When you don’t get a second goal to go 2-0 or 3-1 you can always have problems. So it could have been 5-1 or it could have been 2-2,” Mourinho added.
Palace remain in the bottom three but there were more positive signs for manager Tony Pulis, who has overseen a significant improvement in form since taking charge last month.
Chamakh in particular has responded to the new regime and the former Arsenal striker scored for the third successive game.
“The lads have bought into what we are trying to do,” Pulis said.
“The most important thing, and I’ve always tried to do it, is galvanise a spirit inside the football club.
“I want to create a spirit where the players are getting on well together, wanting to be together and wanting to work together.
“And Marouane has bought into that. You’ve seen the quality of him today, top class.
“Arsene Wenger doesn’t buy players who can’t play and this kid can play.
“And it’s helped I think that he’s playing just off the striker. He’s got a bit more space and he hasn’t got his back to a player all the time.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Fixture and table
UAE finals day: Friday, April 13 at Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
- 3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
- 6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership – final standings
- Dubai Exiles
- Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Jebel Ali Dragons
- Dubai Hurricanes
- Dubai Sports City Eagles
- Abu Dhabi Saracens
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
The%20specs
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UAE%20Warriors%2033%20Results
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Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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The%20specs
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Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
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.
