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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has blamed the hangover from defeat by Liverpool at the weekend for his side's damaging 2-2 draw at home to the Premier League's bottom club Sunderland on Wednesday night.
City needed to win the first of their two games in hand on Liverpool to keep the pressure on the league leaders and second-placed Chelsea.
However, the draw with Sunderland, in which they needed a late equaliser from Samir Nasri just to avoid defeat, means that City are still six points behind Liverpool with just one extra game to play.
Meanwhile: Everton squandered an opportunity to reclaim fourth place from Arsenal after Crystal Palace ended their seven-game winning run with a 3-2 away victory.
Chasing that 4th and final Champions League spot for next season. Everton remain in 5th spot, a point behind Arsenal with four matches to play.
And in Spain: Gareth Bale scored a stunning individual goal five minutes from time to win the Copa del Rey for Real Madrid as they overcame Barcelona 2-1 at the Mestalla in Valencia.
It was a third consecutive defeat for Barca in all competition for the first time in more than 10 years and they now look certain to end the season without winning a major trophy.
Here at home:
Elias Pelembe scored his first league goal of the season as he steered Mamelodi Sundowns to their eighth successive Premiership
victory, edging Mpumalanga Black Aces 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld last night.
The hosts stayed top of the table - three points clear of second-placed Kaizer Chiefs -- who also won on the night - 2-nil over Polokwane City.
On a full night of action - Bidwest Wits edged Moroka Swallows 2-1, and Golden Arrows and Bloem Celtic shared the spoils one-all.
Platinum stars beat Amazulu one-nil and Free State Stars got the better of the University of Pretoria by the same scoreline.
