Manuel Pellegrini on the touchline during Manchester City’s narrow Premier League win over Swansea City on Saturday. Oli Scarff / AFP
Manuel Pellegrini on the touchline during Manchester City’s narrow Premier League win over Swansea City on Saturday. Oli Scarff / AFP

Like Arsenal 97/98 or Man United 98/99, Pellegrini predicts low points for league champions



The closeness of this season’s Premier League race has led Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini to predict that the title could be won by a team with less than 80 points for just the fourth time in the competition’s history.

Manchester United have achieved the feat twice in the Premier League era, in 1996-97 and 1998-99, and are the last club to lift the title with less than 80 points.

Arsenal won the league with 78 points in the 1997-98 season, becoming the only other club to match United, and Pellegrini said this season’s title could won by a team with one of the lowest points totals on record.

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“It is a very difficult title to win because the amount of points all the teams have now is not normal,” the Chilean said.

“You don’t have that in every Premier League season. Maybe this season the teams are stronger, maybe the games are closer.

“Every season is different but to win the Premier League this season will be very difficult and take less than 80 points.

Pellegrini also suggested that he was more concerned with ensuring domestic success than winning the Uefa Champions League.

Premier League talking points: Newcastle should expect topsy-turvy ride to continue

“I always think the Premier League is the most important,” he said. “In the Champions League you can have a bad game, go out in the semi-final and nobody remembers what you did.

“The Premier League is the work of the whole year. I always say it must not be an obsession to win the Champions League.

“It’s a very important title and beautiful to do it but you must not try to win that and lose focus on the Premier League.”

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
German intelligence warnings
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  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
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Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The specs

Common to all models unless otherwise stated

Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi

0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)

Power: 276hp

Torque: 392Nm

Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD

Price: TBC

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

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Arsenal 2

Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'

Eddie Ntkeiah 51'

Portsmouth 0

 

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Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies

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UAE fixtures

Saturday, January 18, v Canada

Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan

Saturday, January 25, v South Africa

The biog

Name: Sari Al Zubaidi

Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati

Age: 42

Marital status: single

Favourite drink: drip coffee V60

Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia 

Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude 

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Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5