Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a day to forget in front of goal, spurning at least two clear chances for Manchester United against Chelsea. Jason Cairnduff / Reuters
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a day to forget in front of goal, spurning at least two clear chances for Manchester United against Chelsea. Jason Cairnduff / Reuters
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a day to forget in front of goal, spurning at least two clear chances for Manchester United against Chelsea. Jason Cairnduff / Reuters
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a day to forget in front of goal, spurning at least two clear chances for Manchester United against Chelsea. Jason Cairnduff / Reuters

Faint flicker of hope for Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United against Chelsea


Richard Jolly
  • English
  • Arabic

Manchester United 0

Chelsea 0

Man of the match Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

MANCHESTER // If this was Louis van Gaal’s last stand, the scoreline lends itself to the suggestion that it was a fitting farewell.

He has become indelibly associated with 0-0 draws and this was Manchester United's seventh of the season. Yet it was a stalemate with a difference, and not just because Chelsea were the opponents and Van Gaal's old adversary Guus Hiddink was in the other dugout.

It was a goalless game where United nonetheless showed signs of life. If they had played with such verve more often, Van Gaal’s position would not be in peril. It was not enough to pronounce that a recovery is underway, but not was it a performance that will compel the board to wield the axe.

Read more: Andy Mitten on Manchester United supporters strengthening their faith in dark times

Perhaps their hand would have been forced if Nemanja Matic, sent clear by Pedro and in acres of space after United were caught on the counter-attack, had scored a winner. Instead, the Serb blazed over and, rather than turning on Van Gaal, the crowd mocked the Serb.

There was a banner calling for Van Gaal’s departure but little other dissent amid a rousing atmosphere. Those United fans who bought scarves with Jose Mourinho’s image on them may be getting ahead of themselves. The Portuguese’s name was chorused at Old Trafford, but only by the Chelsea supporters.

His interim successor, Hiddink, has now drawn both games in charge. This could easily have been a maiden defeat. Chelsea were spared that fate, partly by Thibaut Courtois, who made a remarkable point-blank block from Ander Herrera’s shot after Anthony Martial seemed to tee the Spaniard up for a certain goal. Referee Martin Atkinson, who rejected two penalty appeals, and the woodwork also preserved parity before Wayne Rooney volleyed the last fine chance into the Stretford End.

Yet the near misses were signs United were the more ambitious. They had urgency, a quality they have often lacked. The recalled Rooney was a busy striker. Their full-backs launched a series of raids. They passed the ball forward. They attempted shots. In short, they did everything they have not been doing. It was a reminder of what United used to be and what they could be.

Martial tormented Branislav Ivanovic, showcasing his vast potential. Ashley Young exerted an influence at both ends. Morgan Schneiderlin, belatedly restored, brought bite. Each, with his excellence, underlined United’s underachievement of late.

They looked liberated, in the way Chelsea seemed after Mourinho’s sacking, yet with the difference that Van Gaal remains in his post. There was nonetheless a shift in attitude: United cast off the caution and stopped passing sideways.

Their problem was that a bright start did not produce a breakthrough. They continued to threaten, but they could not sustain the pressure throughout. They are a team who require an early goal, but rarely score one.

At least they came close. Mata, exiled from Chelsea by Mourinho, struck his former employers’ bar with a rasping, rising shot. Martial was denied by the post, clipping the inside of the upright after veering infield. Schneiderlin had already fizzed a shot wide. United, for once, had begun with attacking intent.

While David de Gea surpassed himself to tip John Terry’s diving header over the bar, Chelsea were on the back foot. Minus a specialist striker, with Diego Costa suspended and Loic Remy injured, Hiddink used Eden Hazard as a false nine. He was subjected to a series of heavy challenges and his Chelsea goal drought will reach at least 245 days.

Not for the first time, United could be grateful to De Gea. The goalkeeper made a wonderful double stop from two fellow Spaniards, Pedro and Azpilicueta, with the first saving Van Gaal particular embarrassment. He had pursued Pedro but permitted Chelsea to sign the winger from Barcelona. They have floundered since.

Yet while sides who stand sixth and 14th are shadows of their predecessors, they remain the role models in one position. Each has an outstanding goalkeeper. Rather than Van Gaal’s tactics, they were reasons for the score.

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  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
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*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Brief scores:

Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first

Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)

Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14

Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)

Perera 47; Sohail 2-18

Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)

Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)

Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')

Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE SQUAD

 

Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani

Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas

Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah

Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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.

12%20restaurants%20opening%20at%20the%20hotel%20this%20month
%3Cp%3EAriana%E2%80%99s%20Persian%20Kitchen%3Cbr%3EDinner%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EEstiatorio%20Milos%3Cbr%3EHouse%20of%20Desserts%3Cbr%3EJaleo%20by%20Jose%20Andres%3Cbr%3ELa%20Mar%3Cbr%3ELing%20Ling%3Cbr%3ELittle%20Venice%20Cake%20Company%3Cbr%3EMalibu%2090265%3Cbr%3ENobu%20by%20the%20Beach%3Cbr%3EResonance%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EThe%20Royal%20Tearoom%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GCC-UK%20Growth
%3Cp%3EAn%20FTA%20with%20the%20GCC%20would%20be%20very%20significant%20for%20the%20UK.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20My%20Department%20has%20forecast%20that%20it%20could%20generate%20an%20additional%20%C2%A31.6%20billion%20a%20year%20for%20our%20economy.%3Cbr%3EWith%20consumer%20demand%20across%20the%20GCC%20predicted%20to%20increase%20to%20%C2%A3800%20billion%20by%202035%20this%20deal%20could%20act%20as%20a%20launchpad%20from%20which%20our%20firms%20can%20boost%20their%20market%20share.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ticket prices
  • Golden circle - Dh995
  • Floor Standing - Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5