Liverpool's record goalscorer Ian Rush believes the return of Daniel Sturridge has finally given manager Jurgen Klopp something to think about up front.
The England international made his first appearance for the German as a late substitute in the 1-0 win over Swansea City, only his fourth appearance since April after a hip operation and knee and foot problems.
Now Klopp has his two first-choice strikers available and Rush believes Klopp has decisions to make as although he has played with one up front, the Welshman sees no reason why both cannot be accommodated.
“All great players can play together. I don’t believe this great myth that they can’t play,” Rush, scorer of 346 goals for Liverpool, said at an event to promote Liverpool Legends’ match against their Australian counterparts in Sydney on January 7.
“But how I look at it is you are now not guaranteed a first-team place.
“When Liverpool have been successful it was because you were not guaranteed a place.
“When the team is winning (the manager) is thinking ‘If I change the side here it might go there’.
“Competition for places is very healthy so give the manager a problem, make yourself available for selection – that is what all managers want, all players fit.
“If they are fit and available then the manager has to choose and that is what happened when I played for Liverpool.”
Christian Benteke has scored three times in his last seven matches – including a brilliant strike against Bordeaux last week – after having been sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Rush believes the Belgium international will get better as he gets even fitter.
“I was really happy when we signed him. He can play up front by himself, alongside someone and is a different option there and we’ve not had that previously,” he added.
“We had (Philippe) Coutinho, (Roberto) Firmino, (Adam) Lallana and now you have Benteke and that is a good thing.
“He will get fitter and will get better and the goal he scored against Bordeaux showed what he can do.”
Victory over Swansea put Liverpool within six points of Premier League leaders Manchester City but Rush, who won two European Cups, five league titles, five League Cups and three FA Cups with the club, believes the players have to concentrate on securing a return to the Champions League and possibly winning silverware this season.
“What’s realistic is to finish in the top four but it would be great to win a trophy for the supporters,” he said.
“We signed a few players in the summer and the likes of Benteke could be the difference between fourth and fifth.
“But every competition you play in you want to win. You shouldn’t go into it if you don’t expect to win.
“They are in the quarter-finals of the League Cup and Southampton are difficult but they can beat them.
“Realistically it is most probably their best chance of winning a trophy but it is knowing how to do it.
“You say you’d like the game to be at home but we’ve been playing better away so I think it is a good chance now.”
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MATCH INFO
Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)
United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
