In a season marred by underachievement, manager upheaval, supporter unrest and player fallout West Ham United go into their penultimate game of the campaign relatively carefree.
Last week's 2-0 win over Leicester City secured Premier League football for David Moyes' side with two games remaining. The first of those - against Manchester United at home on Thursday - should be played out in a relatively hostile-free London Stadium that has seldom been the case this term.
West Ham's underwhelming end to the previous campaign saw them sleepwalk into this. Slaven Bilic knew the writing was on the wall long before his eventual departure at the start of November with a return of nine points from 11 games.
Moyes' appointment may have been viewed with a degree of scepticism by many who remembered ill-fated spells at United, Real Sociedad and more recently Sunderland, a club who limped out of the Premier League last season without so much as a whimper. But David Sullivan and David Gold, the co-owners so often the source of the fans' ire, saw in Moyes a man determined to restore a battered reputation.
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Read more:
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Comment: The penny finally drops as Tottenham deal with costs of move back to White Hart Lane
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Their faith has been vindicated. Five points clear of relegation, Moyes has had to mastermind an escape based on quantity rather than quality. There are too few young legs of quality like Manuel Lanzini in the squad and too many older ones on the wane such as Danny Collins, Patrice Evra, and Pablo Zabaleta.
The first two will almost certainly be released this summer when the squad is in need of a major overhaul.
Top of the list should be securing a permanent move for impressive loanee Joao Mario from Inter Milan. A new goalkeeper - the club are almost certain not to exercise their option to turn Joe Hart's loan move from Manchester City into a permanent one - two new centre-backs, two new full-backs, an attacking midfielder and perhaps, if Andy Carroll no longer features in Moyes' plans, a centre-forward are also required.
But with the pressure off, there are reasons for quiet optimism that West Ham can end the campaign on a high note. Marko Arnautovic's aggression and commitment to the cause has endeared him to the Hammers faithful. Converted from a winger to a centre-forward, Arnautovic has bagged 10 league goals in his first season in East London.
To put that into context, no West Ham striker has scored more than 10 in a season since Bobby Zamora's 11 back in 2006/07. Arnautovic pushed for a move from Stoke City last summer despite signing a new four-year contract months earlier. Given Stoke's plight this term - rock bottom and relegated with three games left - no one could accuse the Austrian of lacking foresight.
Jose Mourinho criticised his fringe players following last Friday's shock defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion. But facing a Manchester United already assured of second place and with an FA Cup final date against Chelsea on May 19 no longer seems as daunting as it may have done for West Ham before the three points procured at Leicester.
United's players, particularly those headed with their countries to next month's World Cup in Russia, may already have their minds focused elsewhere.
Throw in the subplot of their own manager's quiet determination to get one over the club that discarded him just 10 months in to a six-year contract and the game has a tantalising feel of an upset. There is also an added incentive for West Ham to go all out and end the season on a positive: beat United on Thursday and Everton on Sunday, and the Hammers could even secure a top-10 finish if other results go their way.
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
Background: Chemical Weapons
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RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')
Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
