ALEX FERGUSON has branded the 162nd Manchester derby a shoot-out for the title, with the Scot saying that whichever club fails to win the championship will be “tinged with regret” as a result of throwing it away.

Manchester United travel to the Etihad on Monday evening three points ahead of Manchester City conscious victory would virtually end their neighbours’ challenge with only two more games remaining.

Ferguson’s side have 12 away wins while City have 16 at home this season – the Premier League’s best respective records – and he said: “We expect our players to come up to the mark on Monday and make sure we are offering threats to City.

“You have got an interesting combination of two teams. The one with the best home record and the one with the best away record. It’s a shoot-out isn’t it?

“Last year we were in the same situation with Chelsea. Had we lost they would have caught us up with better goal difference but we won.

“It’s a similar situation but this is the derby game of all derby games. They are our nearest rivals and it makes everybody step up a notch in terms of anticipation.”

City led the league for nearly seven months while United had an eight-point advantage until recently. When it was put to him that the side that fail to become champions will feel they have thrown it away, Ferguson said: “Yes, I agree with that. There will be a sense of that from both parties.

“If one loses they are going to be reflecting on what may have been.

“But then you look at the points totals that both teams are probably going to amass and you will see that it’s championship form from both teams.

“But, yes, whoever loses will be tinged with regret simply because it’s a derby thing,” added Ferguson.

Asked if United’s 20th title and the 13th Ferguson would have won would be made sweeter for overcoming the greater finance available to City, he said: “It’s down to what our fans will think and I think they would look upon it as a special one because it’s against their most bitter rivals.

“I don’t think you can get away from that. If you ask any of the fans then I know what they would say. For me, it’s another league.”

Ferguson was asked if the derby is more important in the current difficult economic climate. “No, not a bit,” he said.

“People have inherited this from grandfathers and great-grandfathers. And grandmothers. You can’t change a family’s traits. That’s what supporters are.

“There was one banner recently at Rangers that said: ‘I’ve been supporting Rangers for 139 years’. I thought he’s done well! It’s in the blood of these supporters and I know lots of supporters who would give everything to win this game on Monday.”