NO DISTRACTION:Manchester has only league to play forPlaying todayWolves vs Man United 15:30 SS3Newcastle vs Norwich City 18:00 SS3MANCHESTER - he Manchester clubs will resume their fascinating tussle for the Premier League title without the distraction of European competition but with uncomfortable questions hanging over their quality.Shown up on the continental stage, first by Champions League group-stage exits and then by Europa League last-16 departures at the hands of teams not even challenging for their domestic titles, England’s finest have had their credibility knocked.English leaders Manchester United could not match the skills and passion of La Liga’s seventh-placed side Athletic Bilbao in Thursday’s 5-3 aggregate defeat, while City’s spirited fightback did not make up for earlier errors as they went out to Sporting.Their only chance of redemption is the league title in a season where one of them is destined to finish without a trophy.“We have to win the league to save our season. If we don’t win the league, it will have been a really bad season,” United defender Patrice Evra told MUTV.“I’m not worried about the league because we are playing well and now we are top, in front of Manchester City.”United are a point ahead of their neighbours with 67 from 28 games and can go four points clear on Sunday with a victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers as City do not play until Wednesday when they host Chelsea.If they keep pace over the coming weeks, next month’s Manchester derby at Eastlands could be a title decider.Silverware might rescue their seasons but could be seen as superficial when the country’s class has diminished in terms of continental success as Champions League quarterfinalists Chelsea are the only English club still in European competition.That comes three years after three of the four Champions League semifinalists were Premier League sides.SAME SPIRITCity can be more encouraged than United by their European efforts, having been drawn in a difficult Champions League group on their debut and having given their all in a second-half against Sporting to be centimetres away from a memorable comeback. anager Roberto Mancini hoped his players could draw on that to inspire their bid for a first league title since 1968.“If we have the same spirit that we had in the second half we can win the next game against Chelsea,” he told reporters after a header by goalkeeper Joe Hart in the last minute of stoppage time was tipped past the post to stop them progressing.
