Roberto Martinez has led Everton to their highest Premier League points tally in his first season at Goodison Park, but remains wary of Tony Pulis’s transformation of Crystal Palace as he seeks to keep their Champions League ambitions on track on Wednesday.
Saturday’s 1-0 win over Sunderland, Everton’s seventh consecutive league victory, lifted them to fourth spot with 66 points, beating their previous best of 65 in 2007-08 despite having five matches still to play.
With Arsenal, trailing by two points, able to reclaim fourth spot when they meet West Ham United on Tuesday, victory over Crystal Palace the following day will ensure Everton’s Uefa Champions League dreams remain in their own hands.
Martinez has received much praise since replacing David Moyes at Everton and has them on the verge of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2005, where they failed to reach the group stage after being knocked out in the third qualification round by Spain’s Villarreal.
However Pulis, his opposite number in Wednesday’s catch-up match at Goodison Park, could claim to have done an even better job since joining Crystal Palace.
He replaced Ian Holloway in November with the south London club languishing in 19th place and seemingly certain candidates for relegation, but now has them in 12th spot, seven points above the drop zone and looking likely to spend a second consecutive season in the Premier League for the first time.
Martinez acknowledged the impact of Pulis, saying the Welshman had turned them into the best defensive side in the league, having kept nine clean sheets in 21 matches.
“We know how difficult it’s going to be,” the Spaniard told a news conference on Tuesday.
“The mind is very much set on the two big challenges that we have - two away games and three massive home games.
“Those home games start on Wednesday against Crystal Palace. You look at Palace and in my eyes they are the best defensive set-up in this league, especially when Tony Pulis arrived at the club.
“They don’t concede many goals, if any, and they are on their best run of the year with three consecutive wins. So we’re well aware at Everton that we need to create a special atmosphere under the floodlights and help the players face a very difficult fixture.”
The Spaniard said there was nothing complicated about the way Palace operated but breaking them down was still a challenge.
“I think it comes with his experience and obviously he’s accumulated a very strong method of work, you can see how hard the team works, how well organised, and the defensive set-up is impressive.
“The way they work in dead-ball situations and the strategy of their goal-scoring threats are huge.
“We know what to expect and the biggest compliment I can pay to Tony Pulis is that even though you know what to expect, it’s very, very difficult to compete against.”
Phil Jagielka will not feature despite being close to full fitness, meaning impressive 19-year-old John Stones will continue at centre back, while Steven Pienaar also remains sidelined.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')
