Alan Pardew saluted skipper Fabricio Coloccini after seeing him return from injury to lead Newcastle United to a precious Premier League victory over Aston Villa.
The 32-year-old Argentina international, who had missed seven games with a knee problem, played the full 90 minutes as the Magpies left it late to snatch a 1-0 victory, their first in five attempts.
Pardew said: “He wasn’t really ready, if I am honest. We had a few balls down that channel where I think we were a bit uncomfortable bearing in mind that he has only trained for eight days or nine days.
“But we have worked really hard with him. I spoke to him all week and his presence was everything today.
“If he was going to be a little bit uncomfortable with some of their pace, we would have to accept that.
“But the result justifies the means because the clean sheet, he was a big part of.
“Just his calmness - we were very erratic with the ball today, very nervous, which I expected. But not him. He never gets himself into that mode.”
If Coloccini was singled out for special praise, it was striker Loic Remy, back in the team after serving a three-match ban, who stole the headlines with a stoppage-time winner which helped to lift the mood at St James’ Park, where his side had lost its previous five games.
The France international pivoted on a loose ball to smash it past keeper Brad Guzan four minutes after hitting the post with the goal at his mercy.
His strike prompted a knowing smile towards the press box from Pardew, who had been less than impressed with some of the recent coverage of his travails.
He said: “I thought the media had been a little bit miserable this week. Cheer up, let’s move on.”
Victory took the Magpies to 40 points with 11 games remaining, but left Villa just four points clear of the drop zone.
However, manager Paul Lambert, who dragged the club out of trouble last season, is not unduly concerned.
Lambert said: “It’s not really changed my view from a few months ago. It still is what it is at the minute.
“The thing for us is, we are playing well, we are just not getting a break at the minute. If you are going into games where you are being beaten heavily and you don’t look as if you are going to score, then that’s the time to really worry.
“But I don’t have that worry. There are a lot of teams well below us, and we went through this last year, so we know what it’s like.
“We don’t panic on it, we just try to win the next game.”
sports@thenational.ae
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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