Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has confessed that "it will be almost impossible" to stop Manchester City from winning the Premier League next season on current form.
The Citizens, crowned top-flight champions last weekend in joint-record time, could extend their lead over closest challengers United to 16 points this weekend.
City require three wins from their final five matches to set a new record for points gained in a single season, and Mourinho admits that his side's own title chances in 2018-19 depend on how their noisy neighbours perform.
"It depends what the direct opponents do," he told reporters. "If they do the same number of points it will be almost impossible. If they get into the 90-something points it will be almost impossible. I was champion with Chelsea with 95 [points, in 2005].
"That's the reason why we were champions three months before the end of the season - give no chance to the opponent. That's what Manchester City did [this season]. We had periods of winning matches and waiting for them to lose a couple of points. They never did it.
"Even when they were almost losing points they managed to win against Bournemouth in minute 145 (Raheem Sterling scored 10 minutes into added time)! And some other matches where they won in minute 90-something. They were really, really, really strong. That's why there's no question in the country about who deserves to be champion."
United face Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final of the FA Cup on Saturday evening, aiming to keep alive their last remaining chance of winning silverware this season.
Daniel Lewis
