Manchester City capped off a record-breaking season by becoming the first team in Premier League history to reach 100 points with a last-gasp victory over Southampton on Sunday.
A sensational climax to the season - with substitute Gabriel Jesus scoring with virtually the last kick of the season - ensured the champions set a new record of points in a season, goals scored (106) and 32 games won. Earlier in the campaign they won a record 18 games in succession including 11 away from home, both Premier League records.
So it is no surprise to see five of Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side make our Team of the Season.
Defender Kyle Walker is joined by midfielders Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva and Leroy Sane. Some questioned Walker's fee when he joined last summer. Rather fewer criticised the £50 million (Dh249m) spent when they saw the difference the former Tottenham Hotspur player made to the right side of City's defence.
Sterling is perhaps the most improved player of the season. Arguably, no one has scored more important goals this campaign, and both he and Walker are shoo-ins to be named in England's World Cup squad on Wednesday.
Belgian midfield metronome De Bruyne would have been Footballer of the Year in most other seasons but for the sensational goalscoring exploits of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Silva's class and distribution were a calming influence on City. The fact the mercurial Spaniard maintained his excellence amid concerns about his son’s health is testament to his professionalism.
Sane fought a private battle with De Bruyne to end the season with most assists. Speed, skill and some stunning displays brought the Germany winger 15 assists, three shy of De Bruyne, along with 10 goals.
Liverpool, who finished fourth to secure Uefa Champions League football next season, are next best represented with three players in the best XI.
Andrew Robertson is in as part of a back four. Relegated with Hull City last year, headed for a Champions League final this. The Scot has been superb since displacing Alberto Moreno at left-back.
Salah's strike after 26 minutes in Sunday's 4-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion set a new Premier League record for most goals in a season in a campaign of remarkable consistency and potency. The Egyptian's 32 league goals earned him multiple individual awards, including Premier League, players and football writers' awards. A sensation.
He is partnered in attack by another of Liverpool's attacking triumvirate. Roberto Firminho is Salah’s selfless foil. The Brazilian has scored more goals than ever before (15 in the league), created plenty and helped reinvent the striker’s role with relentless pressing.
Further back, David de Gea's clean sheet against Watford saw him win the Premier League's Golden Glove award with 18 shutouts and named Manchester United's Player of the Year for a record fourth time.
James Tarkowski has gone from substitute last season at Burnley to revelation this. Burnley’s defensive record was brilliant as Sean Dyche's side finished seventh. The eminently dependable Tarkowski was a reason why.
He is partnered in the heart of the defence by Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen. So often overshadowed by compatriot Toby Alderwiereld in previous seasons, the Belgian emerged as arguably the best centre-back in the division.
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SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
FIXTURES
Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)
Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)
Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence