Sir Alex Ferguson expects title rivals Manchester City to drop points in their pursuit of the Premier League leaders.
United, who face City on April 8 at Old Trafford, are 12 points clear at the top of the table with 12 games remaining and can extend that lead when they face Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday.
City host Chelsea on Sunday and manager Roberto Mancini believes his side will close the gap between now and the end of the season.
Ferguson said: “I can understand from Manchester City’s point of view why they are talking about us dropping points. But the fact of the matter is they will drop them as well.
“The only way we can approach it is by taking care of each game and eventually we run out of matches.”
Ferguson says Phil Jones is unlikely to be fit for United’s Champions League game against Real Madrid on March 5.
Defender Jones suffered an ankle injury during last Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round win over Reading and is having intense treatment ahead of the last-16 second leg at Old Trafford.
Jones will definitely miss Saturday’s game against QPR, as will Wayne Rooney, who has a virus, and Ferguson said: “We are working very hard. He has an outside chance for Real Madrid — no more than that.
“He is a young man who went into a tackle too brave and was a bit off-balance.”
Ferguson has spoken publicly for the first time since United chief executive David Gill announced his intention to stand down in June.
Ferguson enjoyed a close working relationship with Gill and said: “David spoke to me about it some weeks ago.
“I was surprised because he is still a young man but I understand where he is coming from. Sixteen years in that particular job is not easy.”
