Manchester United, reeling from their Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, need to show some typical German efficiency on Sunday at Blackburn Rovers if they are to continue their push for a record 19th top-flight title.
Their inability to shake off stupor brought on by European exertions, however, may hinder their hopes.
United, who were knocked out of Europe on Wednesday night after losing to Bayern over two legs, have already been defeated seven times in the Premier League this season - three more than their entire campaign last year.
Worryingly for Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, ahead of Sunday's match where anything less than three points would leave a huge dent in their title challenge, five of United's seven defeats have come following a Champions League tie.
Three points from a possible 15 in matches played after an away leg of a European tie go a long way to explaining why the champions are no longer favourites to retain their the league. Seven from a possible 12 at home go further still.
But what has changed since last year, when they reached the final of Europe's elite competition and still managed to win the league?
The answer, it initially appears, is not all that much: United's European hangover is not a problem that developed this season.
They lost to Portsmouth during their two-legged tie with Roma in 2006/07. The following season, again between back-to-back games with the Italians, they drew with Middlesbrough. United's solitary home loss in the league last season - a humbling 4-1 defeat to Liverpool - took place three days after exertions at home to Inter Milan.
That said, in 2008/09, United played 10 times in the Champions League, collecting 21 points from 30 in league matches following them - a far superior haul to this year's 10 points from 27. Last year, with United drawn with Celtic in the group stages and Arsenal in the two-legged semi- final, the travel required was not of the same magnitude as this season, where they have flown to Russia and Turkey.
Sunday's match has taken on huge importance following defeats to Chelsea and Bayern; returning to Manchester without a win would be a blow to United's aspirations - especially with neither Chelsea nor Arsenal in league action.
Arsenal - who lost in Barcelona midweek - do not play again until Wednesday, but do not seem to suffer from a European hangover anyway. They have picked up 13 points from a potential 15 following away legs in the Champions League this season.
Ferguson will have to choose his team from the same pool of 18 that suffered heartbreak on Wednesday.
The high-profile forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, who left last summer, have not been adequately replaced and with injuries to a host of players such as Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Michael Owen and Wes Brown - not to mention Wayne Rooney - the lack of strength in depth available at Old Trafford has been highlighted.
@Email:gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Company%20profile
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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One in four Americans don't plan to retire
Nearly a quarter of Americans say they never plan to retire, according to a poll that suggests a disconnection between individuals' retirement plans and the realities of ageing in the workforce.
Experts say illness, injury, layoffs and caregiving responsibilities often force older workers to leave their jobs sooner than they'd like.
According to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, 23 per cent of workers, including nearly two in 10 of those over 50, don't expect to stop working. Roughly another quarter of Americans say they will continue working beyond their 65th birthday.
According to government data, about one in five people 65 and older was working or actively looking for a job in June. The study surveyed 1,423 adults in February this year.
For many, money has a lot to do with the decision to keep working.
"The average retirement age that we see in the data has gone up a little bit, but it hasn't gone up that much," says Anqi Chen, assistant director of savings research at the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College. "So people have to live in retirement much longer, and they may not have enough assets to support themselves in retirement."
When asked how financially comfortable they feel about retirement, 14 per cent of Americans under the age of 50 and 29 per cent over 50 say they feel extremely or very prepared, according to the poll. About another four in 10 older adults say they do feel somewhat prepared, while just about one-third feel unprepared.
"One of the things about thinking about never retiring is that you didn't save a whole lot of money," says Ronni Bennett, 78, who was pushed out of her job as a New York City-based website editor at 63.
She searched for work in the immediate aftermath of her layoff, a process she describes as akin to "banging my head against a wall." Finding Manhattan too expensive without a steady stream of income, she eventually moved to Portland, Maine. A few years later, she moved again, to Lake Oswego, Oregon. "Sometimes I fantasise that if I win the lottery, I'd go back to New York," says Ms Bennett.
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)
Genk 1
Samatta (40)
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.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
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EXPATS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RACECARD%20
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SPECS
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Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
Company%20Profile
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5