The Tyne-Wear derby comes around again with a familiar sense of deja vu.
Alan Pardew has been named manager of the month for November for the second season running, but Newcastle United fans were upset again after a 4-1 league defeat to Arsenal last Saturday and a 4-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup.
As ever at Newcastle, it seems any glimmer of progress is illusory, any good result overshadowed by the looming monstrosity that is Mike Ashley’s ownership of the club.
Sunderland, meanwhile, are averaging a point a game, as they did last season.
This time they have done it with as little drama as possible, drawing 10 of their 16 games – putting them well on course to break Aston Villa’s record of 17 draws in an English Premier League season.
The sense of stagnation at the number of draws has rather put in perspective the absurdity of last season’s great escape, when they drew at Manchester City, then beat Chelsea, Cardiff City, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion to move from a position of almost certain doom to survival over the course of five improbable games.
As the years of failure go on for both clubs – no domestic trophy in 41 years for Sunderland, in 59 years for Newcastle – and their sense grows that local pride is all there is to play for, the derbies take on an enhanced importance.
At least part of the dissatisfaction around Newcastle stems from the fact that they are on a streak of losing three derbies in a row for the first time in nine decades.
It is parochial, but in the globalised world of modern football, it is also a reassuring reminder of the place clubs have in the centre of their communities.
sports@thenational.ae
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
LOVE%20AGAIN
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Leganes v Getafe (12am)
Levante v Alaves (4pm)
Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)
Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)
Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)
Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)
Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Barcelona v Granada (12am)
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm
