Brendan Rodgers has never lost a Merseyside derby as Liverpool manager and extending that record at Everton on Sunday appears imperative to stop another round of soul-searching about his future.
Rodgers's position has come under severe scrutiny during a run of just one win in five Premier League games and two unconvincing draws in the Europa League.
A first defeat for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby since October 2010 would only increase the pressure on Rodgers during the up-coming international break.
Read more: Richard Jolly on Everton, Liverpool, Roberto Martinez up and Brendan Rodgers down – and how it can all change
But the Northern Irishman said on Friday that he believes his team are improving as they look to secure the win they need to go above fifth placed Everton in the Premier League table.
“This is my fourth season of going to Goodison Park and we’ve played well there and been unfortunate not to come away with victories,” he said.
“We’ve never lost there in my time. Hopefully that continues. I’m looking forward to seeing the continuation of the team developing.
“When we first started the season we had a couple of wins but we weren’t creating so many chances. Now it’s starting to evolve where we’re starting to create opportunities and clear-cut chances.
“So we know whether we’re playing home or away, we’re back into the flow of creating chances. Now what we have to do is take those chances.”
Pre-season signing Christian Benteke faces a fitness check on a hamstring injury which has kept the striker out of Liverpool’s last three games, but he is not expected to play.
However, the return from long-term injury of Daniel Sturridge has given Liverpool’s attack a more potent look and after being rested for Thursday’s 1-1 draw with FC Sion in the Europa League he will return to partner Danny Ings, who was named in the senior England squad for the first time on Thursday.
“You saw Daniel’s quality in the game last week. He is obviously at a really high level in terms of his ability to score a goal,” added Rodgers, who was grateful for Sturridge’s two goals in a 3-2 win over Aston Villa last weekend.
“He is important for us. We have missed him over a long period of time. What top players do is also give the team confidence.
“Him coming back into the reckoning for the weekend is a massive boost for us and when he plays you know he’s got that star quality.”
Everton appear to be the more content of the two rivals who will contest the 225th Merseyside derby.
While Liverpool have struggled for consistency, Roberto Martinez’s side have come through a testing start to the Premier League season relatively unscathed.
Deserved victories over Southampton and Chelsea, allied to respectable draws at Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City, have formed a solid base on which to make a push for European qualification.
And although last Monday’s match at West Bromwich Albion showed Everton’s defensive frailties have not been eliminated, the spirit they showed in coming from two goals down to win 3-2 gave plenty of cause for encouragement.
“We showed incredible belief,” Martinez said. “As you can imagine, the confidence goes through the roof when you get the feeling of winning a game after coming back from a two-goal deficit.”
If confidence is through the roof, Martinez will be hopeful of securing his first Merseyside derby victory at the fifth attempt.
Everton have not won any of their last 10 meetings with Liverpool.
This has generally been a fixture of tight margins in recent seasons; five of the last six meetings between the sides, including the last three at Goodison Park, have ended in draws.
When there is so little between the teams, key players become essential.
Everton will be hoping that centre-back John Stones and right-back Seamus Coleman recover from the injuries that have kept them out of recent matches.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
65
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Results
2.30pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Marmara Xm, Gary Sanchez (jockey), Abdelkhir Adam (trainer)
3pm: Al Yasmeen – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: AS Hajez, Jesus Rosales, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.30pm: Al Ferdous – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Soukainah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
4pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah – Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: AF Thayer, Ray Dawson, Ernst Oertel
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: George Villiers, Antonio Fresu, Bhupat Seemar
5pm: Palma Spring – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Es Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
MATCH INFO
Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)
Manchester United 0
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
