Manchester City secured their spot in next season's Uefa Champions League after defeating Fulham 2-0 at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
After what has been a season to forget for Pep Guardiola's side, who were dreaming of a historic fifth successive title at the start but ended up without a trophy for the first time since 2017, City at least finished the season on a relative high.
The visitors dominated from the start and took the lead courtesy of a Ilkay Gundogan overhead kick as the German notched his first league goal of the campaign in some style, after Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno pushed Matheus Nunes' cross into his path.
Fulham did not roll over despite that early blow with City needing a full-stretch save from Ederson to keep out Harry Wilson's curling effort with Andreas Pereira sending the follow up into the side netting.
But the clincher came in the 72nd minute when Gundogan was tripped in the box by Jorge Cuenca and Erling Haaland finished from the penalty spot for his 22nd league goal of the season.
Victory means City finish 13 points shy of champions Liverpool and three behind second-placed Arsenal. The game also marked Kevin De Bruyne's final appearance in City colours with reports suggesting the Beligan is in talks about moving to newly-crowned Italian champions Napoli.
“We started really well and after that we had the momentum. It was in our hands and we did our job,” Guardiola said. “It's been a tough year but we never gave up. I'm very proud and pleased for the team. Now we will recover and next season will be better.
“When you continue [a run of poor form] you finish 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th. This is the destiny of all the teams in the Premier League when they are in November, December or January and you cannot fight for the Premier League, like you have done for many years.
“At the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it.”
At the City Ground, Nottingham Forest could not end their impressive season with a Champions League place after losing 1-0 at home to Chelsea.
A second-half finish from defender Levi Colwill lifted Chelsea up to fourth in the table, giving them a much-needed boost going into Wednesday's Europa League Conference final against Real Betis in Poland.
As for Forest, it will be a feeling of disappointment and pride. A seventh-place finish and the consolation of Europa Conference League football must be considered a bonus for a club that ended last season one place outside the relegation zone.
But after spending large parts of the campaign in the top four, Nuno Espirito Santo's side just ran out of steam when it mattered.
“When I scored, I stayed calm because we still had more minutes to play but I stayed calm and helped the boys,” said match-winner Colwill.
“What I got taught in the academy is you have to fight. We try to get these clean sheets to win and that's what we did today.
“We had to win. We knew we had to win and that it wasn't going to be a hard atmosphere but we did it. This club deserves to be in the Champions League.”
Newcastle United will return to top-tier European football for the second time in two seasons – but only by the skin of their teeth.
The Magpies fell to a surprise 1-0 home defeat by an Everton side whose 13th place in the standings had already been confirmed.
A second-half header from Carlos Alcaraz earned the Toffees all three points after they defeated a nervy and sloppy Newcastle side.
Eddie Howe's steam had dropped out of the top five after going behind with Aston Villa then drawing with Manchester United.
But two United goals at Old Trafford condemned Villa to defeat and meant Newcastle would cap off a campaign which saw them win their first domestic trophy in 70 years – the League Cup – with a top-five place.
They would finish ahead of Villa thanks to a superior goal difference after finishing level on 66 points with Forest a point further back.
Villa, meanwhile, were beaten in controversial fashion by a United side that lost to Spurs in the Europa League final on Wednesday night.
Unai Emery's side – who had goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez sent off at the end of the first half – thought they had taken the lead through Morgan Rogers after the break.
But the goal did not count as Thomas Bramall had blown the whistle for a foul judging that Rogers had kicked the ball out of goalkeeper Altay Bayindir's hands, meaning a VAR review could not take place.
Moments later, United took the lead through an Amad Diallo header before Christian Eriksen sealed the win with a penalty with three minutes to go.
Meanwhile, Liverpool drew 1-1 with FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield which saw a late Mohamed Salah finish cancel out Ismaila Sarr's early goal for the Eagles.
It meant the Egyptian topped off his Golden Boot award by equalling the Premier League goal involvement record with 29 goals and 18 assists.
MEYDAN CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
8.15pm Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Majestic Thunder
7.05pm Commanding
7.40pm Mark Of Approval
8.15pm Mulfit
8.50pm Gronkowski
9.25pm Walking Thunder
10pm Midnight Sands
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%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
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
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
