England coach Roy Hodgson believes captain Wayne Rooney will be “a player we need to depend upon” at this summer’s European Championship in France.
Rooney's form for Manchester United had been a source of concern before the turn of the year, with the striker going eight games without finding the net in the Premier League earlier this season.
However, he has rediscovered his goalscoring touch with seven goals in eight games in all competitions in 2016, much to Hodgson’s relief.
"We are pleased Wayne has pulled himself out of that trough," Hodgson said of England's all-time record goalscorer on the BBC's Match of the Day programme.
“He’s an important player, our captain and a player we need to depend upon for the Euros.”
Hodgson also paid tribute to the form of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane and Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, although he was keeping his cards close to his chest over his preferred selections.
“We have a lot of possibilities in terms of formation,” Hodgson said.
“We can play in a diamond, or with one centre-forward, and the big thing is Kane and Vardy who have both been such a sensation.”
Read more:
Richard Jolly: History no longer on Man City's side when they collide with Tottenham Hotspur
Greg Lea: Jamie Vardy scores goals but N'Golo Kante has been catalyst in Leicester City's attacking game
Steve Luckings: Manchester United's problem is not Rooney, it's Schweinsteiger – EPL talking points
Listen: Team Talk podcast: Arsenal's now-or-never moment as Spurs see chance at Man City – analysing Super Sunday – Ep 16
Another area where England have plenty of options is the goalkeeping slot.
While Manchester City’s Joe Hart is in possession of the No 1 jersey, Jack Butland has made several impressive performances for Stoke City in this campaign and Fraser Forster has marked his return from a serious knee injury with six consecutive clean sheets.
Hodgson added: “Having him [Forster] and Joe and Jack means we are as strong as England have been.
“I tried to keep in touch with the players. Fraser is a very good character. Joe is playing well, Jack is playing well.”
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Klopp at the Kop
Matches 68; Wins 35; Draws 19; Losses 14; Goals For 133; Goals Against 82
- Eighth place in Premier League in 2015/16
- Runners-up in Europa League in 2016
- Runners-up in League Cup in 2016
- Fourth place in Premier League in 2016/17
Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Brief scores:
England: 290 & 346
Sri Lanka: 336 & 243
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
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