Liverpool have been the Premier League’s form side of 2015, but rarely the FA Cup’s.
A schizophrenic side enter the semi-final draw, but while they are swaggering their way into the division’s top four, they are staggering towards the knockout competition’s last four.
Their season has been transformed in the last three months, but two teams have stopped them from scoring at Anfield during their golden run: Bolton and now Blackburn, both Championship opponents and both in the FA Cup.
Rovers fully merited the draw that gives them a replay at Ewood Park and a chance to claim a third top-flight scalp.
Like Bolton before them, Blackburn showed the tactical nous some of their supposed superiors lacked.
“We carried out the game plan to a tee,” said manager Gary Bowyer, whose blueprint was based around denying Liverpool space in the final third.
A mid-table second-tier team produced a performance of great intelligence, determination and discipline, succeeding where others have failed by preventing Philippe Coutinho from being incisive or Adam Lallana from being influential.
For once, Liverpool lacked inspiration or invention. They may have dominated every statistic except the score. The stalemate was rendered all the more improbable by Brendan Rodgers’s ultra-attacking selection.
Nominally, at least, Raheem Sterling and Lazar Markovic were wing-backs and Liverpool were overloaded with progressive players, but did not have the right balance in their team even before Mario Balotelli was introduced.
The striker who started, Daniel Sturridge, drew a firm-handed block from Simon Eastwood with a well-struck effort but it was a rare alarm.
“We just lacked that bit of sharpness physically,” Rodgers said. He also said that they merited a spot kick when Matt Kilgallon challenged Lallana.
“I thought that was a clear penalty,” he said.
But Liverpool’s perpetual possession yielded few clear-cut chances and the one player to put the ball in the Blackburn net was centre-back Kolo Toure. He was offside, just as he was when he later hit the post.
The Ivorian became involved when Martin Skrtel was stretchered off after he landed on his head when challenging for a header with Blackburn striker Rudy Gestede.
An eight-minute wait to get the injured Skrtel off the pitch indicated the scale of the concern for the Slovakian.
“He fell heavily so there was a feeling he could have been knocked out or concussed,” Rodgers said. “But he is fine. He was up walking and talking after the game. He will go to hospital but as a precaution.”
Gestede was blameless then, faultless thereafter. “He was immense,” Bowyer said.
Angular and awkward, Gestede posed problems with his aerial ability.
The target man was the focal point, bringing others into play. Craig Conway accelerated into space Sterling left behind him and the Scottish winger perhaps should have scored when he was found unmarked by Tom Cairney.
Conway’s threat was not confined to open play. From his corner, Alex Baptiste produced a thumping header that a flying Simon Mignolet did well to tip over the bar. “Aerially we were very dominant and had a couple of opportunities.” Bowyer said.
“Full credit to the players; they were magnificent. Every one of them put a shift in and they and restored a bit more pride.” After a troubled couple of years at Ewood Park, that is welcome.
Liverpool have contrived to make their way this far with away wins in each of the three previous rounds, requiring a replay at Bolton, and Rodgers was not unduly worried to face another game.
“I am not overly disappointed,” he said. More than what can be said about his team’s performance.
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T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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.
Company%20Profile
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The%20specs
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WISH
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RESULTS
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Nadhra, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Dars, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Taghzel, Malin Holmberg, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: M’Y Yaromoon, Khalifa Al Neyadi, Jesus Rosales
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeem, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Company%20Profile
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