Radamel Falcao is expected to return for Manchester United as Louis van Gaal's side attempt to preserve their position in the Premier League's top four against Sunderland on Saturday.
Falcao’s future is far from certain.
The 29-year-old Colombia striker has failed to make a significant impact since joining United on loan from AS Monaco at the start of the season.
He has scored four goals in 16 league matches and was an unused substitute in United’s 2-1 defeat at Swansea City last weekend, having been largely ineffective against Preston North End in the FA Cup five days earlier.
With Robin van Persie having limped out of the Swansea match with an ankle injury and James Wilson having suffered a dead leg on Under 21 duty, Falcao is in line to partner Wayne Rooney in attack.
Having seen Monaco stun Arsenal 3-1 in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday, Falcao will be desperate to demonstrate that he did not make the wrong career choice by moving to Old Trafford.
Van Persie is United’s top scorer this term with 10 goals in all competitions. Rooney has nine.
After those two, United have had their Spanish midfielders to thank for their contributions, with Juan Mata on six and Ander Herrera on five.
Herrera, who arrived at Old Trafford from Athletic Bilbao during the close season, is keen to continue to play his part.
“I haven’t really got a target for goals. I think we’re a very attacking side and I just want to help,” the Spaniard said.
“I knew that scoring goals was one of the things I could improve on, but I don’t want to stop now. I want to keep working and helping the team. The most important thing is that we win but, of course, when I score I’m happy.”
Midfielder Michael Carrick was due to return to training this week after an unspecified muscle injury, but is not expected to feature against Sunderland, who pulled off two surprise results at Old Trafford last season.
The north-east club beat United in a penalty shootout on their way to the League Cup final and shocked them again in May with a 1-0 victory that helped them escape relegation.
“They were two big games,” Sunderland midfielder Sebastian Larsson said. “Getting into the cup final was massive for the fans and for the players, but the win in the league was in the middle of that crazy run which secured our Premier League status.
“We will use those memories. We know we have beaten them before and there is no reason why we can’t do it again.”
Manager Gus Poyet is also heartened by the fact that he has an unchanged squad available following last weekend’s 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion.
He said: “I like to plan a little bit and train a few things and when you have most of the squad that you have for the weekend, you can really do things in a different way.
“If you have everyone training, it’s easier. Last week, three or four players who played at the weekend didn’t train until the Friday. This week has been much better.”
Jack Rodwell and Billy Jones will not be risked after injury lay-offs, but will be available for Tuesday’s trip to Hull City.
However, Emanuele Giaccherini, Sunderland’s Italy international, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ankle surgery.
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Total eligible population
About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not
Where are the unvaccinated?
England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14%
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Racecard
7pm: Abu Dhabi - Conditions (PA) Dh 80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.30pm: Dubai - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
8pm: Sharjah - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.30pm: Ajman - Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,200m
9pm: Umm Al Quwain - The Entisar - Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.30pm: Ras Al Khaimah - Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Fujairah - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The years Ramadan fell in May
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
