Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s emphatic victory over Aston Villa was the clearest indication yet that his side are ready to end their long wait for a Premier League title, after a ruthless 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium sent a warning to their rivals.
The result carried extra significance for an Arsenal team that have fallen narrowly short in recent seasons. Runners-up for three consecutive campaigns, they have often been praised for style and promise but questioned over their capacity to deliver in defining moments. Against a Villa side who arrived on an 11-match winning run, Arteta’s players provided a compelling answer.
The contest had been finely balanced at the interval, with Villa enjoying spells of first-half control and failing to capitalise on early pressure. That wastefulness proved costly. Within minutes of the restart, Arsenal seized the initiative decisively, helped by a rare error from Emiliano Martinez. The Argentina goalkeeper failed to hold a corner, allowing Gabriel Magalhaes to force the ball home and tilt the momentum in the hosts’ favour.
What followed was a spell of authority that underlined Arsenal’s evolution. Martin Zubimendi doubled the lead moments later, before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus applied clinical finishes to complete a dominant display. Ollie Watkins’ stoppage-time strike was a mere footnote on a night when Villa were comprehensively outplayed.
Arsenal end 2025 five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, with Villa now six points adrift in third. More importantly, this was the type of landmark win that had been missing earlier in the campaign, following defeats at Villa Park and Liverpool, and draws with Manchester City and Chelsea.
“Well, it has been a great 2025 on a personal and professional level,” Arteta said. “The way these guys, the club and the staff make me enjoy my work every single day is brilliant. In 2026, we know what we want. We will have to work really hard for it every single day, but I think we are on the right track.”
Ending Villa’s club-record equalling winning streak also offered a measure of personal satisfaction. Earlier this month, Unai Emery’s side had snatched a late victory against Arsenal, a result that lingered in the background as the teams met again in North London. This time, there was no such anguish for Arteta.
“It is a beautiful evening,” he said. “The first 10 minutes were a bit shaky and we had to adjust things. After that, we grabbed the game and we were creating the chances. The way we started the second half was amazing. We really turned things up and were efficient in everything that we did.”
Arteta highlighted the quality of his side’s finishing and reserved particular praise for Gabriel Magalhaes, who impressed on his first start since returning from injury in November. Tasked with containing Watkins, the Brazil defender delivered a commanding performance.
“We saw it today,” Arteta said. “He came back after six weeks out and composed himself against one of the best strikers in the league. I thought he was tremendous.”
There was a brief postscript at full-time when Arteta and Emery did not exchange handshakes, with the Villa manager suggesting his compatriot was caught up in celebrations. Arteta dismissed the issue, while Emery pointed instead to Martinez’s mistake and the injury to Amadou Onana as decisive moments. “That changed everything,” Emery said. “Arsenal have the power they showed. That is football.”
Depleted United settle for point against Wolves
Elsewhere, Manchester United closed a turbulent year with frustration rather than celebration, being held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford by bottom club Wolves. Ruben Amorim’s side, missing eight players, struggled to impose themselves despite taking the lead through Joshua Zirkzee, whose deflected effort was cancelled out by Ladislav Krejci.
The result left United sixth in the table, two points adrift of Liverpool in the final guaranteed Uefa Champions League place, with the Reds holding a game in hand. Yet Amorim struck a note of optimism, insisting that United’s true potential will only be realised once injuries ease.
“I’m really confident,” the Portuguese coach said. “When we recover all the players, we are going to be a strong team. There is no doubt in my mind.”
Wolves, who arrived on a run of 11 straight defeats, took encouragement from a third point of the season. Rob Edwards acknowledged the unease among the Old Trafford crowd and felt his side deserved their reward. “It’s progress,” he said. “Overall, it was a really good performance.”
Caballero defends Palmer decision
Chelsea assistant coach Willy Caballero moved to ease tensions at Stamford Bridge after Enzo Maresca’s decision to substitute Cole Palmer during Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth provoked a furious reaction from supporters.
Maresca was subjected to chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” when Palmer was withdrawn just after the hour mark, with Chelsea pushing for a winner that might have halted their alarming dip in form. Instead, the move appeared to drain momentum from the hosts, who were later booed off following a result that left them with just one victory from their past seven Premier League matches.
The draw added to the scrutiny on Maresca, whose side sit fifth but have now dropped 13 points at home from winning positions this season. Yet Caballero, deputising for the Italian in post-match duties, defended the decision and insisted Palmer’s long-term welfare had been the priority.
“Any supporter wants to have the best players on the pitch, and we want that as well,” Caballero said. “But Cole is coming from a long injury. We need to find the right substitutions to go for the game and also to look after the health of our players. We want to have them for the rest of the season.”
On the pitch, Bournemouth struck early through David Brooks before Palmer levelled from the penalty spot. Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea ahead, but Justin Kluivert’s equaliser ensured the visitors left west London with a point.
Despite speculation linking Antoine Semenyo with a move to Manchester City, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola expects the Ghana forward to feature against Arsenal on Saturday, insisting: “It’s not his last game with us.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Getting%20there%20
%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Ftravel%2F2023%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-does-it-take-to-be-cabin-crew-at-one-of-the-worlds-best-airlines-in-2023%2F%22%20target%3D%22\_self%22%3EEtihad%20Airways%20%3C%2Fa%3Eflies%20daily%20to%20the%20Maldives%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%20The%20journey%20takes%20four%20hours%20and%20return%20fares%20start%20from%20Dh3%2C995.%20Opt%20for%20the%203am%20flight%20and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20land%20at%206am%2C%20giving%20you%20the%20entire%20day%20to%20adjust%20to%20island%20time.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERound%20trip%20speedboat%20transfers%20to%20the%20resort%20are%20bookable%20via%20Anantara%20and%20cost%20%24265%20per%20person.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
While you're here
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
While you're here
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
2018: Formal work begins
November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
November 2024: All 127 volumes completed