Sport

Crunch time for Benitez

The Liverpool manager yesterday conceded that the pressure is on him as his side head into two games that could define their season.

Alam Khan

March 18, 2010

Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, yesterday conceded that the pressure is on him as his side head into two games that could define their season. They host Lille at Anfield tonight knowing anything other than victory will see them eliminated from the Europa League and no longer able to win any silverware. Then they head to fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday, where a defeat would leave their hopes of finishing fourth in the Premier League - and sealing a Champions League place for next season - as good as over.

First, however, the focus is on the French team Lille, who hold a 1-0 advantage in the round-of-16 tie thanks to Eden Hazard's goal in last week's first leg. "We have to win. We will try to win because we want to progress in the Europa League and after that we will try to beat Manchester United," said Benitez, whose position as manager has been questioned by some supporters as the trophy cabinet has been untroubled since 2006 when it housed the FA Cup.

Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher have voiced concerns about the strength of the squad, while captain Steven Gerrard had a very public courtship with Chelsea in 2005. Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper, highlighted the importance of tonight's match. "It's the last option we have to lift a trophy this season so that's why it's massive for us," he said. "We have always had belief and we still have a really good hope in the Europa League."

Liverpool's Premier League title challenge never got off the ground, but Reina said there will be no lack of motivation at Old Trafford come Sunday. "We can't compare to them because they are far away. All that matters now is to look at ourselves and perform better," he said. @Email:akhan@thenational.ae

Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues