Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is confident Wilfried Bony will go on to become a success after insisting he is a player they “need.”
The substitute reminded Swansea what they were missing with a late goal as City guaranteed themselves a top-three finish and direct entry into next season’s Champions League with a 4-2 win at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.
Yaya Toure and James Milner goals had put Pellegrini’s team in control of this Premier League fixture only for the home side to level up with goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis.
Another Toure strike — again aided by more questionable work from Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski — put City back in control before his Ivorian teammate Bony, signed from Swansea for £28 million (Dh161m) in January, added a goal late on.
It was only Bony’s second goal for City since his mid-season arrival but Pellegrini was confident the striker, who was applauded after his goal by Swansea fans, would be a success at the Etihad Stadium.
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“He got the reception he deserves. He was very unlucky when we bought him because he started by going to the African Cup Of Nations,” Pellegrini said.
“After that then he had an ankle and knee injury that stopped him for three weeks. Then we won five in a row and I did not want to make changes in this moment.
“I am absolutely sure we bought the player we need.”
Victory guaranteed deposed Premier League champions City a top-three finish and a place in the group stages of the Champions League, with England’s fourth-placed side having the inconvenience of a qualifying round for Europe’s elite club competition.
But things might have been different on Sunday when, with City having just reclaimed the lead to move 3-2 ahead, Swansea seemed set to equalise via a thumping header from Federico Fernandez only for Joe Hart to pull off a stupendous one-handed reflex save to tip the ball over his crossbar.
“It was incredible,” Swansea manager Garry Monk said. “Ninety-nine times out of 100 that’s a goal but unluckily for us he had an answer to it. He is a world-class goalkeeper.”
Pellegrini said that England international Hart had advanced this season and was “starting to reach his peak.”
“It was a beautiful save in an important moment,” Pellegrini said. “I think that Joe is the No 1 in England. He has improved a lot this season.
“Bringing in Willy Caballero has been good for him as competition.
“I think he is starting to reach the peak of his career. It is difficult for a young goalkeeper to be so, so good.
“It is difficult to compare him with all the other goalkeepers. (Chelsea’s Thibaut) Courtois is very good also. In this league we have three or four very good goalkeepers. (Manuel) Neuer at Bayern (Munich) is very important also.
“But Joe understands he must improve. Every day he works hard,” Pellegrini said.
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
Squads
India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur
West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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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.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Company%20Profile
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