With the 2015/16 English Premier League season a matter of weeks away, Richard Jolly provides his thoughts on each of the 20 teams and predicts their final league finish. Here he looks at Liverpool.
If Liverpool did not end last season in crisis, they were not far off. Their only wins in the last nine games came against the hapless pair of Newcastle and QPR. They finished with a 6-1 thrashing at Stoke, their heaviest defeat for 52 years. Raheem Sterling laid the path for his acrimonious departure, assistant manager Colin Pascoe and first-team coach Mike Marsh were sacked and it surprised some that Brendan Rodgers escaped the same punishment. Yet Liverpool have been swift, decisive and firm in acting. They held out for a huge fee for Sterling and brought in £49 million (Dh279.5m). They made seven signings, seeing off considerable competition to land James Milner and Danny Ings, and spent heavily on Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke. Yet if it gives an impression of positivity, Liverpool had so many problems last season that it will take a huge turnaround in fortunes for ambitions to be realised. Their strikers only mustered eight league goals – and with doubts how often Daniel Sturridge will feature, there is an onus on newcomers Ings and Benteke to prove prolific – while their defending left much to be desired at times and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet endured a torrid first half to the campaign. Now, after their spring failings, it is vital Liverpool consign last season to the past.
Key Man: James Milner – Handed the unenviable task of replacing Steven Gerrard but the unflappable Milner should cope. After transfer-market failures in recent years, Milner's arrival without a fee represented a rare success.
Pivotal Signing: Roberto Firmino – Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres apart, Liverpool's biggest buys have rarely succeeded. The £29 million Brazilian is the second most expensive player in their history and has to ensure Sterling is not missed.
Crucial Factor: The start. Liverpool begin by visiting Stoke, where they lost 6-1 in May. By the end of October, they will have faced five of last season's top seven, plus had a Merseyside derby. There is the potential for things to go very wrong.
Prediction: 5
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
SPECS
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Company%20Profile
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The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
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OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa