Big-spending Manchester City’s EPL title hopes all-but-evaporated when arch-rival United’s Wayne Rooney pulled out the best goal of his career to date to win the Manchester derby.

But the blue half of Manchester is still on target to see Champions League football at Eastlands as they lie third in the EPL.

And they look likely to progress to the last 16 of this year’s Europa League after having the best of a drawn first leg in Greece this week against Aris Salonika.

Winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who made a rare start in Salonika, has suggested his future lies away from Eastlands after this season. While Italian striker Mario Balotelli’s long-awaited return from injury should soon be over.

 

City are now eight points behind United having played a game more. They had equalised at Old Trafford when Edin Dzeko’s shot deflected in off an unsuspecting David Silva before Rooney joined in.

And Italian supremo Roberto Mancini admitted after the match that it would be “very difficult” for his expensively-assembled team to overhaul the EPL leaders. He said: “Yes it is very difficult but I think we should continue. (Today) we lost a game we did not deserve to lose. I think we can win a game we don’t deserve to win.”

Mancini blamed the pitch for City’s inability to win in Greece. He declared the 0-0 draw a “good result” but added: “I think we had control of the game but it was a difficult pitch to play on.”

Wright-Phillips, whose lack of match practice occasionally showed in his display in Greece, isn’t looking beyond this season at City. The England international winger was on the way out of Eastlands in January until Adam Johnson’s ankle injury meant Wright-Phillips was required as cover.

And despite manager Mancini’s insistence that Wright-Phillips “is important to us,” the 29-year-old said: “To be quite honest, I’m here for three months and until the season is over, there’s nothing much I can say on the matter.”

Balotelli will on the bench for City’s next game, after being sidelined with a knee injury since December 28^th. City have unfinished FA Cup business this coming Sunday afternoon when they host League One outfit Notts County in a fourth-round replay.

The tie will be decided on Sunday, after extra-time and penalties if necessary and the winners will host EPL side Aston Villa in the fifth round on Wednesday March 2^nd.