Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has been named manager of the month for November for the second season running, but Newcastle United fans were upset again. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has been named manager of the month for November for the second season running, but Newcastle United fans were upset again. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK

Sunderland derby comes at critical time for Newcastle United’s Alan Pardew



The Tyne-Wear derby comes around again with a familiar sense of deja vu.

Alan Pardew has been named manager of the month for November for the second season running, but Newcastle United fans were upset again after a 4-1 league defeat to Arsenal last Saturday and a 4-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup.

As ever at Newcastle, it seems any glimmer of progress is illusory, any good result overshadowed by the looming monstrosity that is Mike Ashley’s ownership of the club.

Sunderland, meanwhile, are averaging a point a game, as they did last season.

This time they have done it with as little drama as possible, drawing 10 of their 16 games – putting them well on course to break Aston Villa’s record of 17 draws in an English Premier League ­season.

The sense of stagnation at the number of draws has rather put in perspective the absurdity of last season’s great escape, when they drew at Manchester City, then beat Chelsea, Cardiff City, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion to move from a position of almost certain doom to survival over the course of five improbable games.

As the years of failure go on for both clubs – no domestic trophy in 41 years for Sunderland, in 59 years for Newcastle – and their sense grows that local pride is all there is to play for, the derbies take on an enhanced ­importance.

At least part of the dissatisfaction around Newcastle stems from the fact that they are on a streak of losing three derbies in a row for the first time in nine decades.

It is parochial, but in the globalised world of modern football, it is also a reassuring reminder of the place clubs have in the centre of their ­communities.

sports@thenational.ae

Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE

MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

'Moonshot'

Director: Chris Winterbauer

Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse 

Rating: 3/5

'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap​​​​​​​
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal​​​​​​​
Rating: 3.5/5

RESULTS

4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)

4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

Kibsons%20Cares
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

The bio

Favourite food: Japanese

Favourite car: Lamborghini

Favourite hobby: Football

Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough

Favourite country: UAE

Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
How it works

1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground

2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water

3) One application is said to last five years

4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare 

India Test squad

Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Vijay, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur

The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus  Press

Company%20profile
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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

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less