Soccer: City, United out to avenge hurt pride

Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic shouts out after he was injured. Photo / AP

Cross-town rivals Manchester City and Manchester United will try to return to winning ways in the English Premier League following their shattering group-stage exits from the Champions League.

Table-toppers City lead reigning English champions United by five points.

But United, at home to lowly Wolves tomorrow, can cut that gap to just two points with victory at Old Trafford ahead of City's trip to Chelsea on Tuesday.

While City had the consolation of beating Bayern Munich in their final Champions League match, United's shock defeat by Basel will have tripped alarm bells for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

And that defeat could be made worse if the knee injury suffered by defender Nemanja Vidic in Switzerland proves as bad as feared.

United's fans have taunted arch-rivals Liverpool for having had to compete in the Europa League - the second tier tournament which both Manchester clubs are in after finishing third in their respective Champions League groups - and Ferguson showed little enthusiasm for a competition that is sure to drain his squad's resources.

"It's a competition I've never been in with United," he said. "It's not the best, but that's our penalty for not qualifying."

- AAP