Arsene Wenger is refusing to contemplate Premier League glory despite reaching the halfway stage of the season with Arsenal at the top of the pile.
The Gunners headed back into first place after a 1-0 victory at Newcastle which was secured by Olivier Giroud's lone strike.
However, while Wenger is intent on remaining there, he admits it is too early to start thinking about the big prize.
He said: “Look, we believe in ourselves and we are determined to give our best, absolutely, and to turn back on the season at the end and think we have given our best.
“I hope it will be enough, of course, but it’s a long way to go. It’s too early to say that.”
Arsenal had to scrap their way back above Manchester City in the table by winning a hard-fought encounter at St James’ Park.
The Magpies went into the game having won seven of their last nine league games, and they threatened to take the lead in first-half injury time when first Moussa Sissoko forced a good save from Wojciech Szczesny before Mathieu Debuchy headed against the crossbar.
But Giroud proved to be the match-winner with a glancing 65th-minute header from Theo Walcott’s free-kick after he briefly lost marker Mike Williamson.
The Frenchman passed up a glorious opportunity to seal the victory four minutes later and his side might have been made to paid when Szczesny blasted an 82nd-minute clearance straight at Loic Remy, but saw the ball run just wide.
However, Wenger was delighted with the resilience shown by his side, a trait he believes they have strengthened during the last calendar year.
He said: “We have come out of very difficult games – we have played Everton, we have played Manchester City, Chelsea, at West Ham and Newcastle.
“We have dropped some points, but I felt it was more down to the heavy schedule and the short recovery time we have had than to the difficulty of the games.
“But we have to show it on the pitch, and that’s what we try to do.”
Opposite number Alan Pardew was disappointed for his players that their efforts had not been rewarded with a point, but was able to take some solace from their performance, and a return of 33 points from their 19 games to date.
He said: “It’s not like I feel we have gone and reached something that’s beyond us. I think 33 points is a fair reflection of how we have played, and we need to try to improve on that in the second half.
“I think we can. But the margins are so fine. It’s not like we have come up against the top teams, played well and lost all of them.
“Obviously, we have beaten Chelsea, we have beaten Manchester United and they were as tight as today’s affair.
“We have just come out the wrong side today, and if we can stay like that against the top teams all year, I will be relatively happy because I think we will win three or four of them.”
sport@thenational.ae
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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.
