Familiarity has been deemed the sincerest form of imitation. It may prove to be the surest form of irritation on Friday night.
When Arsenal visit Villa Park this evening, they will be confronted by a side featuring a striker with remarkable speed, a right-footed left winger who regularly veers infield to score, an experienced central midfielder who can control the game with assured passing and a dominant central defender.
Rewind a few seasons and such descriptions would have identified Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Gilberto Silva and Sol Campbell. Now they apply to Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Gareth Barry and Martin Laursen.
Having won at the Emirates Stadium and supplanted Arsenal in the top four, Villa are now on course to depose them from next season's Champions League. It is an indication of the shift in the balance of power towards the Midlanders that, with home advantage and a superior recent record, they begin as the favourites.
Indeed, their greatest concern may be Arsenal's unpredictability. A return of seven points from a potential nine against the established title challengers is proof of their ability to rouse themselves. Villa may have elevated themselves into the category of rivals.
That is a consequence of the harrying job Agbonlahor performed at the Emirates. Arsenal's defensive frailties have generally been against the aerial ball, but his searing pace proved the determining factor. Youthful energy has been allied with cooler heads. Arsenal lack an equivalent of either Barry or Laursen, figures of solidity and maturity.
A knee problem renders the Dane a doubt - "fingers crossed, it won't be too serious," according to Martin O'Neill - but Villa's is a settled side.
Arsenal's is not. They are minus the suspended Emmanuel Adebayor and the injured Cesc Fabregas, in addition to long-term absentees such as Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott.
The news that the captain Fabregas could be sidelined for four months leaves a creative vacuum. "We will miss him of course but we have to find a way to compensate for the fact that he will not be on the pitch," said Arsene Wenger. That is easier planned than accomplished.
Denilson's form has deteriorated and Alex Song may be at his most comfortable in defence so, Samir Nasri apart, Wenger's is a midfield with a makeshift look.
They are likely to be outnumbered in the centre by the Villa trio and must ensure they are not outwitted as well. Chelsea are the only one of their immediate rivals to inflict defeat upon Villa thus far, and a fearlessness on the pitch is accompanied by an elusiveness off it.
O'Neill has the ability to avoid giving a straight answer that is one of the traits of many with a law degree. He used to deflect questions about Villa's prospects of a top-four finish by suggesting they would win the title.
His current response, when asked if that is likely, is to wonder if his inquisitor has gone mad. Victory tonight would further test his evasive skills and enhance Villa's claims to be regarded as the closest current counterparts of the 2004 Arsenal side.
rjolly@thenational.ae
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
RESULT
Bournemouth 0 Southampton 3 (Djenepo (37', Redmond 45' 1, 59')
Man of the match Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
