As Manchester City prepare for a week that could fulfil a 15-year objective, the discussion within the rest of the Premier League has not been about their undeniable greatness. It has still been about these 115 charges for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules. Opinions were naturally shared in many executive lounges on the last weekend of the season, with particular attention to how any decision on Newcastle United’s prospective shirt sponsorship deal with events company Sela – which, like the club itself, is primarily owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – might be relevant to City’s case. There is a belief it could lead the Premier League to a situation where it is accused of treating City by different rules to Newcastle. Pep Guardiola was of course concerned with none of this as he prepared for the FA Cup final. While the Catalan and senior City figures feel this is all overplayed, especially as the club absolutely insists upon its innocence, many others in football stress quite the opposite. There is a belief the true scale is not being grasped, whether City are exonerated or not. Such is the strength of feeling, for now just bubbling under the surface, that many sources from London to Nyon describe it as a “potential Super League moment” in terms of the ructions it could cause. There is “fury”. And, just like that moment back in April 2021, the Premier League is facing severe pressure from several different areas. There was first of all the agitation of the other clubs, who pushed for investigation in the first place. More immediately, there is obviously City’s strenuous defence, one source describing the legal back and forth as “like war”. Most coverage has so far been given to numerous legal challenges and obstructions, particularly as regards the objection to Murray Rosen KC as head of the Premier League’s independent judiciary panel. In terms of the club’s tactics in the case itself, The Independent understands City’s expensive legal team are primarily arguing this is not about “fraud”. That accusation is after all why the entire story has such gravity. City are accused of failing to accurately disclose information, with owner funding alleged to have been disguised as sponsorship from two Abu Dhabi companies, airline Etihad and telecommunications group Etisalat. The Independent has been told the club’s lawyers are arguing this is not about any of that but instead an “associated party issue”. That, covered on page 132 of the Premier League’s handbook, relates to parties “having material influence over the club or entity in the same group of companies as the club”. It is why Newcastle’s Sela case may be relevant, since that would be judged under the same regulations. Those regulations were actually updated after the Newcastle takeover, as the other 18 non-state-owned clubs raised concerns over how they could be outstripped by inflated sponsorship deals from companies in autocratic states such as Saudi Arabia. As it stands, Financial Fair Play regulations allow clubs to make a loss of £105m over rolling three-year periods, so long as that is covered by cash injections from owners. Anything exceeding this would be a breach. In terms of arguing that the current case is about associated parties, City actually attempted the same tactic with the previous Uefa case, that covered the same ground. They insisted that was – under the European body’s terms – a “related party issue”. Uefa’s Investigatory Chamber stated it wasn’t about any of that, and that if it is about failure to accurately disclose information it doesn’t make any difference if the parties are related or not. The Court of Arbitration for Sport came down on the governing body’s side in this aspect, as covered in paragraphs 124 to 135 of the judgement. Paragraph 127 reads that the panel found “the related party issue is separable from the charges based on the Leaked Emails”. CAS did ultimately overturn Uefa’s verdict due to alleged breaches being “either not established or time-barred”. Should the Premier League go down the route of looking at associated parties, it could mean the process going on far longer – potentially years – since this is an exceptionally difficult area to properly prove. More complications arise from the nature of autocratic states, where rulers have almost total executive power. It is why many Premier League executives are keenly watching what happens with the Sela example, especially since the relationship there is more direct. The events management company and Newcastle United have the same primary owner in PIF. This is not to suggest there is anything untoward in that sponsorship, and it is understood there has already been sound advice that it represents “fair market value”, especially given Newcastle’s Champions League qualification. A growing feeling among the other Premier League clubs – who are now acutely conscious of the wider effects of state ownership – is nevertheless that such deals should not be looked at through the prism of associated parties or fair market value. The increasing argument is that they need to be looked at through the prism of equity, since that is what money that ultimately comes from the same owners could be perceived to represent. While there are a number of different ownership examples such an approach could relate to, many sources believe it shows the specific complications of allowing autocratic states to own football clubs. One argument is that the Premier League needs to prohibit associated party sponsorships altogether. “By allowing such rules,” one source explains, “you are effectively saying that, if it’s fair value, it doesn’t matter if it’s equity or sponsorship.” For now, some think there is the possibility that Newcastle will be looked at on a different basis to City. If that happens, it might be setting a precedent for City to follow, or – as one source put it – “write their defence for them”. If the Premier League do look at the latter through associated parties, though, it could see the case go on for over two years, maybe up to four. Other clubs are already furious at the length of time it has taken up to now, forming another pressure on the Premier League. It is why some football figures, as reported by the Independent last week, have long advised the competition that they should have independent units to deal with such cases. They believe it is a farce that the competition could be clouded by such uncertainty for so long. The eventual conclusion of City’s case could lead to an explosion One argument that has been made is that, such is the complexity of a case like this, it requires more forensic financial expertise rather than the extent of legal advice the Premier League is understood to have leant on. “They don’t know the scale of what they’re dealing with,” were the words of one source. The Premier League are absolutely not commenting on anything to do with the case, but a fair counterargument that could be made is that the four-plus years the investigation took shows how seriously this has been dealt with. For all the rancour under the surface right now, though, the eventual conclusion could lead to an explosion. If the panel does reach a guilty verdict, there is first of all the likelihood that City would seek an arbitration hearing before further potential appeals in the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Other Premier League clubs would meanwhile seek the strongest possible punishments – potentially up to expulsion – and the prospect of legal action has privately been raised by individual clubs. Premier League rules do allow clubs to sue each other. If the punishment is weak, though, the current belief is that could lead to a “mutiny” within the Premier League. That may even happen if City are exonerated. All of this comes amid a more febrile atmosphere surrounding the dominance of state-owned clubs, especially as City come to the brink of a treble and Newcastle so quickly and impressively reached the Champions League. It has meant more attention than ever is being paid to the Sela sponsorship. State politics are just one more under-current to the City story, too. As one expert on the area said: “How would UAE-UK relations be affected if one of Abu Dhabi’s prize assets was punished like that?” Read More Premier League sponsorship rules set for major test as Newcastle eye shirt deal with Saudi company Supercharged Newcastle’s four key transfer targets to strengthen for Champions League Young players taking their life should not become a norm – Tareiq Holmes-Dennis The differences between old allies Ten Hag and Guardiola that will decide cup final The year that sportswashing won: A season that changed football forever

When it gets to that time of year between Christmas and New Year, sometimes known as Betwixmas, it’s not unusual to find yourself surrounded by mountains of Christmas leftovers. With turkey coming out of your ears, and enough leftover pudding to feed all of Santa’s elves, it can feel a bit overwhelming to find inventive ways to use up your Christmas dinner leftovers. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a selection of tips and tricks that will help you whip up a festive storm and prevent your leftovers from going to waste. Most importantly, these tips and recipes all require minimal effort so that you can focus on the important things from this time of year, like a festive movie marathon and figuring out how to put together the toys that Santa brought down the chimney. Planning is key The number one thing you can do to lower your food waste over Christmas is to plan ahead and resist the urge to impulse buy. Work out how much food you’ll need – especially if you’re hosting (and remember your guests will probably bring some food with them) – and make a shopping list. Planning is especially important when it comes to use-by dates. When buying meat, dairy or other fresh produce, check out that use-by date to make sure you won’t have to throw it away before you need it. It all starts with storage Marie Kondo your fridge to reduce food waste by keeping your ready-to-eat foods at the top, dairy in the middle, and raw meat at the bottom. Pop all your fresh fruit and veg in the drawers, and just like that, you’re a food waste-fighting machine. This will help you reduce any food waste across the festive season. Most fruit and veg will last longer if you store it properly. Stopping your fresh fruit and veg going bad in the first place is an easy way to reduce food waste. Here are two storage blunders that many of us make in the kitchen: Potatoes (for your perfect roasties) need to breathe, so it’s best to store them in a cardboard box or paper bag in a cool, dark place. Never in the fridge! And remember that you can still eat them if they’ve started to sprout. Citrus fruit, especially lemons and limes, will harden when stored in a fruit bowl at room temperature. To keep fresh and juicy for longer, so you can complement your post-dinner gin and tonic, store them in the fridge. Don’t neglect your scraps Once you’ve just finished baking, roasting or frying up a delicious feast, and you’re about to throw away all your leftover food scraps, always take a moment to think about where your waste is going. Here are a few unexpected scraps that you can use up instead of throwing them away. Beetroot tops can be used as a substitute for greens, like spinach, swiss chard and bok choy. They can be steamed, sauteed, braised, added to soups, or even eaten raw. Sautee the stems with a little garlic, orange and shallot to enjoy them tender and crispy – the perfect side to add something different to your Christmas lunch. Just make sure to rinse them well and they’re good to go! Boiling veg for a side of your Christmas dinner? Once the veg is suitably tender, drain over a pot and use the water to make your gravy. This is packed with nutrients to give your festive feast a health boost. If you’re not quite sure how to use up the skins of your potatoes and carrots, cutting them up and roasting in olive oil with plenty of salt and pepper makes delicious vegetable chips, the perfect snack to accompany an afternoon full of Christmas movies and toy building. Bring limp vegetables back to life How many times have you looked in the fridge after Christmas day and seen a few soft carrots and broccoli left over from the roast? Most of us banish limp vegetables to the bin, but you can actually salvage them very easily. You can bring carrots back to life by cutting a bit off the bottom and place upright in a glass of cold water until firmed up. If your carrots are already cut, you can place them in a bowl of cool water. Trim the bottom off a head of broccoli and pop in a glass of water. If you have cut florets, place in a bowl of water until plumped up and crisp. If you reach a point where you’ve exhausted all leftover recipes, why not donate to a local foodbank? It’s worth checking what they need before you turn up, but many will be incredibly grateful for your leftover donations. Christmas leftover recipes These are some festive favourite recipes from Gousto that will mix it up from the usual bubble and squeak. From sweet to savoury, there’s something for everyone. Chocolate orange yule log with leftover Christmas pudding Serves: 8-10 Time: 1 hour Ingredients: 3 eggs (separated into yolks and whites) 75g caster sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 50g plain flour For the filling: 150ml brandy cream (or double cream) 30g icing sugar 200g Christmas pudding For the topping: 150g unsalted butter (softened) 150g icing sugar 75g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Dark 75g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Milk Extra icing sugar to garnish Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/400F/gas 6. Line a 9 x 13inch baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Add the egg whites to a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, then turn off and keep to one side. Add the egg yolks to a separate large bowl with the caster sugar and mix well with a wooden spoon or until combined. Sift the cocoa powder into the egg yolks and mix together again. Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites through the egg yolk mixture (make sure you don’t knock out too much air!) until well combined. Sift over the plain flour and fold through carefully. Spread the cake mix evenly into the baking tray, then put into the oven. Bake for 10-11 min or until the cake is cooked through. Once cooked, remove the tray from the oven and keep aside for 2 min. Place a clean tea towel over the baking tray, then flip the cake over. Whilst the cake is still hot, use the tea towel to help you roll the cake lengthways into a tight log shape. Leave aside like this until completely cool. Meanwhile, whip the brandy cream in a stand mixer with the icing sugar until soft peaks form then remove to another bowl (don’t bother washing the stand mixer bowl!). Put the Terry’s chocolate segments into a small heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water – make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water! Stir until melted then remove the bowl from the pan and let cool slightly. Into the same stand mixer, add the softened unsalted butter with the icing sugar. Stir with a spoon, then beat until combined. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and beat until mixed. This is your chocolate buttercream. Once the cake has cooled, carefully unroll and remove the tea towel. Spread the whipped brandy cream over the cake, then crumble over the leftover Christmas pudding. Re-roll the yule log lengthways, pushing in any filling that falls out, until the seam is underneath the log. Spread the buttercream all over the cake and use a small knife to make lines to resemble a tree log. Trim the ends to neaten then put in the fridge for at least 30 min to set. Dust with some sifted icing sugar, if liked, and serve to your guests! Leftover Christmas turkey nuggets Serves: 6 Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 250g cooked turkey can be white or dark meat or a mix of the two 2 slices white bread 50ml milk 5g parsley 1 shallot 1 garlic clove 1 egg 50g flour 60g panko breadcrumbs Vegetable oil (for frying) Method: Place the slices of bread in a dish and pour over the milk and set to one side. Peel and finely chop the garlic and shallot and finely chop the parsley. Heat a pan with a small amount of oil over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the soaked bread, onion and garlic mixture, parsley and cooked turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until almost smooth. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and mix well. Add the remaining flour to a plate and season with salt and pepper, then add the panko breadcrumbs to another plate. Remove 1/6th of the mixture at a time and form into a rough nuggets shape. Coat each nugget in the flour, tap off the excess, then add to the beaten egg and finally press it into the breadcrumbs firmly to evenly coat all over. Heat a wide non-stick frying pan (with a matching lid) with 1 inch of vegetable oil. Fry the nuggets for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on a cooling rack over kitchen roll. Alternatively, you can place them on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil and bake in an oven preheated to 200C/180 fan/gas 6 for 20 minutes. Christmas leftovers pot pie Serves: 6-8 Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Ingredients: 320g ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten For the filling: 400-500g cooked turkey meat, torn into bite-size pieces 400-500g mixed roast vegetables, such as potatoes, peas, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and sprouts 200-300g cooked ham, diced 1 generous handful mixed herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, roughly chopped For the sauce: 45g butter 2 leeks, washes and roughly chopped 2 tbsp plain flour 250ml leftover gravy and 250ml chicken stock or 500ml chicken stock 3 tsp dijon mustard 200ml pouring cream Salt and freshly ground pepper Method: Preheat the oven to 180C (fan). Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, and add the leeks and a little salt. Cook, stirring regularly for about 7 minutes until the leeks have softened. Add the flour and stir for another minute. Add the stock mixture and mustard a little at a time so your sauce doesn’t go lumpy. Then bring to a simmer, stirring continuously for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, add the pouring cream and season to taste. Then set aside to cool. Once the sauce is cooled, combine the filling ingredients in a 25cm pie dish and mix well. Pour over the sauce and stir again to mix through. Dust your countertop with a little flour and roll out the pastry a little thinner so it’s a bit bigger than the top of the pie dish. Lightly brush the edge of the pie dish with egg wash and gently lay the pastry over the filing. Trim the overhang with a sharp knife and use a fork to gently press around the edge, securing the pastry to the dish. If you prefer, roll the off-cuts a little thinner, and use them to decorate the top of the pie. Brush the pie top with egg wash and make several small holes with the tip of a sharp knife for steam to escape. Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden. Leftover pastry mince pies Makes: 12 Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 320g shortcrust pastry (scale up/down the recipe based on how much pastry you have leftover) 250g mincemeat Egg or milk to glaze Icing sugar to decorate Method: Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200C/180C fan. Using a 3 inch cutter (or a glass) cut out 12 circles of pastry and line the holes of a bun tin. Fill each pastry circle with a large teaspoon of mincemeat. Optional – cut out festive shapes from remaining pastry and place on top of the pies. Brush the pastry with beaten egg or milk then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack until room temperature. Store in an airtight container. Brussels sprout and garam masala tart Serves: 2 Time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 40g cheddar cheese 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 200g Brussels sprouts 1 tsp nigella seeds 160g puff pastry 5g coriander 2 garlic cloves 1 red chilli 50g lamb’s lettuce 1 brown onion 300g waxy potatoes 20g mango chutney Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/gas 6. Boil a full kettle. Add your waxy potatoes to a pot of plenty of boiled water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender, then drain and allow to steam. While the potatoes are boiling, peel and finely dice your brown onion. Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic. Cut your red chilli in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion, chopped garlic, and half the chopped chilli (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!) with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 min or until softened. Meanwhile, trim the ends from your Brussels sprouts, then finely slice. Once the onion has softened, add your ground turmeric, garam masala and a splash of water and cook for 1 min. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts to the pan with a knob of butter and cook for 7-8 min further or until softened. While the sprouts are softening, grate your cheddar cheese and chop the coriander finely, including the stalks. Once softened, add your mango chutney, grated cheese and half the chopped coriander (save the rest for garnish!). Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and give everything a good mix up – this is your Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling. Dust your work surface with a generous sprinkling of flour. Unwrap your puff pastry and roll it out to approx. 0.5cm thickness with a rolling pin and cut into 1 square per person. Transfer the pastry square to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and score a 1cm border around the edge of the pastry with a knife. Top the centre of pastry square with the Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling. Add the drained potatoes to a baking tray and crush gently. Add a drizzle of olive oil, your nigella seeds and a generous pinch of salt – these are your nigella smashed potatoes. Put the Brussels sprout and garam masala tarts and nigella smashed potatoes in the oven for 15-20 min or until the pastry is golden and cooked through and the potatoes are caramelised. Wash your lamb’s lettuce, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Serve the Brussels sprout and garam masala tart with the nigella smashed potatoes and lamb’s lettuce to the side. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a grind of pepper to the lamb’s lettuce. Top the tart with the remaining chopped coriander and chopped chilli (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!). Recipes from Gousto, the UK’s best value recipe box, offering 75 meals weekly from £3.14. Visit gousto.co.uk for more information and recipe inspiration. Read More Why the Spanish are calling bull on M&S’s chorizo paella croquetas! 21 alternative Christmas recipes from top British chefs Why restaurant influencers have just ruined your dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test Seasonal affective disorder: Can you eat to improve your mood? An air fryer can make Christmas as easy as mince pie – here’s how

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