The PL title race

 The title race is on in England, and I enjoyed two matches this weekend, looking at the two main title contenders.

I happened to be in a small beer-tasting bar in Mexico City where they put on the Manchester City-Newcastle match. While Newcastle has not lived up to expectations this season, Manchester City has refocused its efforts to keep the pressure on Arsenal on top of the league and kept pressure on Newcastle, taking a deserved lead in the first half by way of Nico O'Reilly, but Lewis Hall equalised for Newcastle, not entirely deserved, but Nico O'Reilly scored a second to give Manchester City a tighter victory than should have been the case, and keeping the pressure on Arsenal.

Today Arsenal was up against the hapless local rivals of Tottenham, a team that hardly appears to belong in the PL. Arsenal were far superior to Tottenham, winning 4-1 on two goals by Eberechi Eze and two by the Swede Viktor Gyökeres. 

This means that Arsenal keeps the lead on the PL table relatively comfortably, five points clear of Manchester City, but with one more match. But the pressure is big on both sides and it will be an interesting race to the end of the season.

The mighty Crystal Palace

The oldest existing football tournament in the world, the FA Cup, is great because it is still a tournament where anything can happen, and this year another great surprise happened when underestimated Crystal Palace defeated mighty Manchester City 1-0 on a lone goal by the English striker Eberechi Eze, and a brave and fair fight by the entire team and a fantastic goalkeeper in Dean Henderson, who even saved a penalty.

Crystal Palace was founded 120 years ago, and the club had never won an important title. It was their third FA Cup final, and when the referee ended the match after scandalous and nerve-wrecking 10 minutes of added time, the fans, unused to winning, erupted in delight and tears of joy.

The victory is so much sweeter as it was against a Manchester City side who, since they became of the top sides in the world, have lost every sense of humility and dignity, something that is a pity for club that only in 2012 won a spectacular league, and entered a new phase after so many years as a secondary team. Today, Manchester City appears entitled, and nothing symbolized it more than Pep Gurdiola's refusal to shake hands with Crystal Palace's goalkeeper after the match. 

At these moments one loves football and wish Crystal Palace fans days of fantastic celebrations!