Palace pain can work for Blues

ONE of the great themes in English football last season was the rise of the underdog.

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Newcastle won their first trophy in 56 years, Crystal Palace won the FA Cup for the first time in their history and Liverpool won the Premier League (that last one is a joke before the inevitable abuse arrives).

Palace's win against City should have qualified them for the Europa League, but an issue over multi-club ownership saw the South London club hauled over the coals of UEFA justice and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport.