Kyle Walker fires home winner for Manchester City against boyhood club Sheffield United


Richard Jolly
  • English
  • Arabic

If Manchester City were centurions last season, Kyle Walker brought up a different kind of hundred with the clinical touch his team-mates were missing.

City were in triple figures for league goals in both 2017-18 and 2019-20. Walker marked his 100th league appearance for them with the lone strike to mean he was the one Blade who could savour Sheffield United’s sixth defeat in seven league games.

It is safe to say Walker, who was on United’s books from the age of seven, dreamed of scoring for them. If that ambition was never realised, he has found their net for both Aston Villa and City instead.

Often the former champions’ best defender, he doubled up as an effective attacker with a 25-yard drive that nestled in Aaron Ramsdale’s net. “A fabulous finish,” said Chris Wilder.

Walker made for an unlikely match-winner, which normally would be something to savour. Not this time. "My mum and dad live here, so if I’d celebrated I’d have got a lot of stick,” he explained. Guardiola added: “He's a Sheffield United fan, he loves this club, but it was an important the goal."

Guardiola, famously, is a Barcelona supporter but while Joan Laporta and Victor Font, two of the candidates to become their next president, are tipped to try and take him back to the Nou Camp, he has insisted he is not interested.

Ronald Koeman is a former team-mate and room-mate and Guardiola said: “My career as a manager in Barcelona is over,” he insisted. “There are incredible people who can be in charge. Ronald Koeman is an incredible manager. It's over.”

He was more concerned with his current charges. “We struggled to score goals from the chances we created:16 shots, eight on target. Nine goals from six games is not good enough,” said Guardiola. It made Walker’s input invaluable. His first strike for 363 days was a welcome bonus.

“We want to score three or four,” added Walker. They could have done. Indeed, Ferran Torres could have had a hat-trick of his own. Shorn of a specialist striker, Guardiola continued with the Spaniard deputising for the injured Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. The summer signing is a winger by trade but rose like to a career centre-forward to meet Bernardo Silva’s cross with a glancing header that Ramsdale saved well. He made a striker’s run to the near post to meet Raheem Sterling’s centre. Ramsdal

e was again equal to his effort. He showed the speed to spring United’s offside trap but the goalkeeper closed down the angle and held his attempted chip.

There were other near-misses. Aymeric Laporte connected sweetly with Kevin de Bruyne’s corner but his half-volley rebounded back off the advertising hoardings. Ramsdale seemed to misjudge Rodri’s rising drive but nevertheless managed to tip it over the bar.

The goalkeeper, however, made a terrific save to turn Riyad Mahrez’s free kick past the post. City were relentless as they applied pressure. De Bruyne, inevitably, was at the heart of much of what they did, bringing a characteristic blend of drive and quality. He thumped a shot narrowly wide.

“Kevin de Bruyne, Laporte and Kyle Walker are unbelievable players,” said Wilder. He was more critical of his own team. “When you can’t pass from A to B, good players keep the ball away from you,” he said. “Sometimes it is not enough to be an aggressive, competitive side that has a go. You have got to show more to stay in this division.”

United had few clear opportunities; “one clear chance,” said Guardiola. It fell substitute John Lundstram’s way. The midfielder’s finishing made him one of last season surprise success stories. He ought to have opened his account for the current campaign when Sander Berge picked him out, but Lundstram skied his shot and United’s wait for a top-flight goal against City, which dates back to 1993, goes on.

They only have one point from their last 10 league games and this represents their joint worst start to a top-flight season.

if you go

The flights

Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com

Seeing the games

Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com

 

Staying there

Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com

 

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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

if you go

The flights

Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.

The tour

Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.

Brief scores:

Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first

Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)

Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out

Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)

Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4

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How to turn your property into a holiday home
  1. Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
  2. Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
  3. Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
  4. Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
  5. Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

SCORES IN BRIEF

Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule

12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)

2pm Formula One final practice 

5pm Formula One qualifying

6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5