Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hopes Queens Park Rangers can help his side win the Premier League title, despite Manchester City holding the advantage with one game remaining.
Defending champions United beat Swansea 2-0 on Sunday to move level on points with Roberto Mancini's side, who had earlier beaten Newcastle by the same scoreline.
City now face Mark Hughes' QPR on the final day of the season and if they can match or better United's result against Sunderland, they will win the English title for the first time in 44 years.
QPR are fighting relegation and need a point to be certain of retaining their Premier League status.
Ferguson said: "The whole future of the club could be resting on the game and I only wish Sparky [former United striker and City boss Hughes] was playing.
"Mark knows his job all right. He was sacked by City in a very unethical way and he'll remember that. Mark Hughes' teams always fight but QPR players are fighting for survival."
Hughes said: "It would be a fantastic story if we were able to go there and get something, they are going for titles and we are trying to stay in this league.
"I probably looked at the fixtures when I first got the job and that one loomed quite ominously - but it is upon us now and we have still got an opportunity to stay in the league by our own effort."
City boss Roberto Mancini remains cautious about his side's chances of clinching the title.
Use accessible player and disable flyout menusTitle race not finished - Roberto Mancini
"It is not finished. It is important that we get three points next week. We need a big effort - there is one game more," he said.
"QPR will be tough, they are fighting to avoid relegation. Nothing changes. It is ours to lose. It doesn't depend on other teams any more."
Ferguson believes the odds are against United winning a 20th title but intends to fight to the final whistle.
"We've won the title on three occasions on the last day and we don't mind doing it again," he said. "City are red-hot favourites and will want to make sure they win the match.
"The expectation and responsibility of Manchester United players is to win the match. We'll go there optimistic. It won't be easy but we'll have a go."
Match of the Day pundits
Alan Shearer on City: "Roberto Mancini's substitution, bringing Nigel de Jong on, enabled Yaya Toure to get further forward. It was a big change and the right one as City went on to win their game. I think it's all over. It's City's year."
Lee Dixon on United: "I'm sure Alex Ferguson recognised the flatness at Old Trafford today and will address that. If QPR got a point against City, it wouldn't be the most dramatic result of the season so I think it's all to play for still."
United had hoped to close the advantage in goal difference held by City - it is eight better than the champions' - with a big win against Swansea, but they could only match their rivals' 2-0 winning margin.
Paul Scholes and Ashley Young scored before the break, but a succession of missed chances means the destination of the title is almost certainly out of their hands.
"I'm satisfied with the enthusiasm of the players, they did well," insisted Ferguson. "It could easily have been one of those days where their heads were down a little bit but they did well with good professionalism. It's a decent result.
"Swansea just killed the game and it is very difficult to get the ball off them."
Manchester City 'offer Robin van Persie £250k-a-week to leave Arsenal'
Manchester City have identified Arsenal striker Robin van Persie as the man to lead their attack next season and are reportedly prepared to pay him £250,000-a-week.
The Dutch international has only a year left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium, leading to speculation over where his future may lie. City are already blessed with talented options in their forward line, with boss Roberto Mancini able to call upon the services of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.
But the Italian may feel his table toppers would be strengthened with 37-goal forward Van Persie to call upon next season.
According to the Daily Star, they are prepared to pay him a quarter of a million pounds each week - which equates to £12 million a year - in order to make the switch to the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal are sure not to let him go without a fight, despite having signed Germany international Lukas Podolski to add to their own group of strikers.
Talks are expected between the Gunners and Van Persie over a new contract at the end of the season, but these could be impacted by the declaration of a huge City offer. Metro
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has, finally, admitted that his side are in pole position to win the Premier League.
His side defeated Newcastle United 2-0 at St James’ Park thanks to a Yaya Toure brace late in the second-half.
The victory means they go into the last day of the season at the top of division as they face QPR, knowing victory will seal a maiden Premier League title win, unless Manchester United perform goalscoring miracles.
And after weeks of claiming his men were not in the in driving seat to win the division, Mancini finally admitted that his team were favourites to lift the trophy, he told Call Collymore: “Now, yes [but] it will be a difficult game because QPR are a good and are playing [to avoid] relegation.
And the Italian boss admitted he felt his decision to replace the in-form Samir Nasri with Nigel De Jong was entirely justified by Yaya Toure’s game winning performance in a more advanced role.
He added: “It was difficult because Nasri played a good game but I thought Yaya, in that position, could be very, very strong”. TalkShit
Alex Ferguson believes the "unethical" manner of Mark Hughes' sacking by Manchester City could help trigger a Devon Loch-style collapse next week that opens the Barclays Premier League title door for Manchester United.
Although United beat Swansea 2-0 at Old Trafford, the margin of victory was not enough to suggest they will be able to overhaul City on goal difference on the final weekend.
Instead, they will go to Sunderland hoping relegation-threatened QPR can pull off a massive shock at the Etihad Stadium by becoming only the second team to deny Roberto Mancini's men on home soil this term after City completed a 2-0 win at Newcastle half an hour before they kicked off.
It seems like a forlorn hope. But Ferguson realises QPR have plenty of incentive, first to save their top-flight skins, but also personally for Hughes, who was dumped by City after a game against Sunderland in December 2009, with Mancini already lined up to replace him.
"QPR need a point and they're fighting for survival," said Ferguson.
"The whole future of the club could be resting on the game and I only wish Sparky was playing.
"But Mark knows his job all right. He was sacked by City in a very unethical way and he'll remember that."
And that could contribute to a collapse as dramatic as the one suffered by Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National when he appeared to have the race at his mercy.
"There could be a Devon Loch. You never know," said Ferguson.
"Stranger things have happened in this game of football.
"They're red-hot favourites but we've won the title on three occasions on the last day and we don't mind doing it again."
Speaking on the pitch, addressing supporters after the final whistle, Ferguson told them to get ready for "the biggest celebration of their lives" at Sunderland next week.
Yet earlier, he had conceded "they probably have two hands on the trophy".
"The crowd will be right behind them," he said.
"And they will be into the referee as they were doing against us."
Should City win, it leaves United open to becoming the first team to lose the league on goal difference since they inflicted a similar fate on Leeds in 1965.
"We did what we had to do, we won the match," said Ferguson.
"There was optimism from our fans and ourselves about scoring a lot of goals but it was over-optimism.
"It wasn't too difficult to lift them before the game.
"They all knew their responsibility. They know the expectation of this club that whenever you play, wherever you play and whoever you play we are expected to win."
Ferguson said he expected both Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling to shrug off groin injuries for next weekend's trip to the Stadium of Light. MuEN
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[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Everton are monitoring West Brom's soon-to-be out-of-contract defender Jonas Olsson. The 29-year-old is stalling on a new deal at the Midlands club. Daily Mirror
Arsenal will make the first move in the race for Fulham striker Clint Dempsey, whose contract expires next summer. the Sun
Liverpool are lining up a bid for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 28, who is nearing a return to fitness.
Bent underwent surgery on ruptured ankle ligaments Caught Offside
Defender Carlos Cuellar, 30, looks to be on his way out of Aston Villa after bidding farewell to fans on Twitter, with his four-year contract expiring at the end of the season and no offer of a new deal. Birmingham Mail
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to battle with Tottenham for Crewe's 18-year-old midfielder Nick Powell. Daily Mirror
Reports in France are indicating that Paris St Germain are determined to beat Chelsea to Napoli's Argentinian hitman Ezequiel Lavezzi, 27. FootyLatest
Manchester United winger Ashley Young welcomes the appointment of Roy Hodgson as England manager after speaking to his international team-mates about him. talkShiT
Frank Lampard has told Chelsea that Didier Drogba is irreplaceable and has urged the club to agree terms with the striker over a new contract. Independent
Aston Villa fans failed to get their protests against manager Alex McLeish off the ground. Birmingham Mail
The Football Association will back calls for technology after another Wembley showpiece was overshadowed by a goal-line row. Liverpool striker Andy Carroll had his effort ruled out against Chelsea in the FA Cup final. the Sun
Chelsea defender John Terry says owner Roman Abramovich will have to hand the manager's job to Roberto di Matteo full time if he guides them to victory in the Champions League final. Daily Star
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish says he will discuss his Anfield future with the club's owners at the end of the season. Daily Mail
New Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski was forced to conduct his farewell lap for Cologne with a riot police escort as his final game for the club was overshadowed by ugly scenes. Metro
MORE BOLLOX LATER ...
