Ashley Westwood of Burnley celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage on May 10, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images
Ashley Westwood of Burnley celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage on May 10, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images
Ashley Westwood of Burnley celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage on May 10, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images
Ashley Westwood of Burnley celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage on May 10, 2021 in London, England. Getty Image

Fulham manager Scott Parker 'gutted’ as Burnley loss seals relegation


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Fulham were relegated from the Premier League with a 2-0 loss at home to Burnley on Monday that assured the Clarets of their top-flight status.

London club Fulham will now join already-demoted West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United in the second-tier Championship next season.

Fulham had to avoid defeat at Craven Cottage on Monday to maintain their slim hopes of beating the drop.

But first-half goals from Burnley's Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood put paid to their chances of staying up.

Fulham's defeat also meant all three relegation places were decided with at least three games to go, ensuring there would be no last-day drama in the battle to beat the drop.

"It has been looming but it doesn't hide the disappointment, hurt and sadness I feel tonight," Fulham manager Scott Parker told the BBC.

"It's inevitable now. I am gutted."

"Tonight is how the season has gone at times. Between the two boxes we did very well. The difference was defensively the two goals we conceded were poor and in the final moment when you need to score and make good decisions. We did not have that."

Monday's reverse meant Fulham went straight back down after a season in the top flight, with Parker adding: "The club needs to make big decisions."

"We've had a relegation, a promotion and a relegation. The rollercoaster of that and the highs and lows is not something you want."

Burnley were sold in February to a US-based consortium and Clarets manager Sean Dyche was proud of the way the Clarets had coped on and off the field during some uncertain times for the northwest side.

"It is important for the club, it is important for the town," he said.

"It's been a real challenging season with the sale of the club."

"There was not a lot of investment from the outgoing owners and we've had a lot of injury problems," he added.

Burnley were twice denied early by Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, before they went ahead in the 35th minute when Westwood, found at the back post by Matej Vydra, slotted the ball into the net.

The visitors then doubled their lead a minute before the break when Wood let fly with a shot into the top corner.

Areola appeared fortunate to stay on the field in the 67th minute when, after he had raced out his area, the ball appeared to come off the keeper's arm as Vydra tried to go around him.

But there was no VAR intervention, with officials deciding Areola had escaped a red card because the presence of a covering defender meant there had not been a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.

VAR is not empowered to recommend a booking, hence the lack of even a yellow card.

But Fulham's luck ran out at the other end of the pitch in the 70th minute when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's shot beat Burnley keeper Nick Pope only to bounce clear off the underside of the bar.

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2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

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Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

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Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

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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

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6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

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9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer