Pep Guardiola took the blame for Manchester City's shock 2-1 defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup final as the boss admitted his game plan backfired on Saturday.
Guardiola's side failed to become the first team to win the Premier League and FA Cup in the same season for two successive years after a surprisingly tame performance at Wembley.
City were well below the standards they showed during their blistering march to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title.
Rocked by first half goals from United teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, City could only get one back after the interval through Jeremy Doku's late strike.
City looked lethargic for long periods, but Guardiola said it was his tactical plan that was at fault rather than a post-title hangover.
"My game plan was not good. We were not in the right positions to attack them. It was my decision," he said.
"The players were focused. Tactically, it was not good. The players know it.
"It was a tight game, we gave away the first goal and the second we didn't close well enough.
"The second half was much better because we were more intense. We had the chances, unfortunately we scored a little bit late."
Guardiola conceded it was a frustrating way to end another memorable season for City, who have won the Premier League six times in the last seven years.
The Catalan and his players will hold a title parade in Manchester on Sunday despite their Wembley woe and Guardiola wants them to enjoy the occasion.
"Congratulations to Manchester United. They are always a transition team. At the end they scored two goals and we couldn't score more," he said.
"It's disappointing, that's normal in a final but this season has been extraordinary, fighting for all the titles.
"Now we are sad but tomorrow we celebrate the incredible achievements we have done. Then we come back next season.
"We celebrated this week. When you get 91 points, it's because you win a lot of games. We have to be incredibly proud."
United's first FA Cup triumph in eight years could be the last time Erik ten Hag takes charge of City's neighbours amid reports he faces the sack regardless of the victory.
Guardiola paid tribute to Ten Hag, who has won two trophies in two years but oversaw United's lowest Premier League finish since 1990 this term.
"They had to take a decision, so I don't know. He's a lovely person, an extraordinary manager," Guardiola said.
"Of course winning the FA Cup is important to them."
Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
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
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
