Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted the fact Manchester United lost their Premier League title to Manchester City last season provided added incentive to get it back.

If United overcome relegation-threatened Aston Villa at Old Trafford tonight, it will clinch a record 20th championship.

As they will still have four games remaining, it completes an admirable recovery from that gut-wrenching end to the previous campaign.

"We had a big job to do," said Ferguson. "The way we lost it, and the fact it was City, gave us an incentive.

"You have to admire the focus we have shown this season. We are resilient and the consistency has been good.

"Like all the previous teams, they never give in. That is a fact.

"It is the history of the club more than anything. Once they have been here two or three years, the players buy into it. These are the qualities that have helped them to be where they are just now."

Not that Ferguson will be declaring the season over even if the champagne corks are popping in the home dressing room.

The Scot intends to keep his men driving on, eager to eclipse the Premier League points record of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, who amassed 95 points in 2005.

"There won't be any slacking off," said Ferguson. "(The record) is not beyond us at all. Can Manchester United win five games in a row? How many times have we done that?"

Ferguson's longevity allows him to plan ahead in a manner most of his counterparts cannot. For instance, in January he secured the services of Wilfried Zaha, knowing he could afford to leave the England Under-21 winger on loan at Crystal Palace, furthering his education in the Eagles' Championship play-off push.

And Ferguson is also keen to offer praise to striker Javier Hernandez, perhaps the most vulnerable member of his strikeforce given how highly the Mexican is regarded across Europe and his relatively low number of key starts.

"We hope he feels as though he has made a contribution because we do," said Ferguson. "It is not easy picking players when you have a squad of 26 and every one is an international.

"But Javier has scored 16 goals and when he came on at West Ham the other night his movement was terrific.

"He has got that in his locker all the time. His enthusiasm to play is always there.

"There is no reason to think this is not the place for him - and he is young enough to improve."

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert wants to spoil Manchester United's title party.

Villa remain entrenched in the relegation battle as the scrap for survival intensifies. However, they have timed a run of form nicely, picking up 10 points from their last five games and Lambert sees no reason why they cannot take something from the game.

"We'll go and try and win, I've never deviated from that," said the Scot. "Any games that we've played in we've gone to try and win, but you also know that you've got to respect the opposition you're playing against. Manchester United are the best team in the country at the minute."

Lambert admits any party atmosphere at Old Trafford may actually benefit his side.

"In a round-about way it can," he said. "Put it this way I don't want them to win it against us, because I want us to try and win ourselves.

"That's what we'll go and try and do. I've got no worries about going there. It's going to be a fantastic place to play football, against the champions-elect.

"If you don't enjoy going playing there, there's something wrong. "If you can't handle the pressure, you're not going to be a footballer. It's what you're having a career for.

"It's a game no one expects us to get anything from but we're certainly a goal threat."

Lambert is happy to pay tribute to evergreen United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as he continues to rack up milestones and trophies.

"You'd love to know how he's done it," he said. "Starting out at East Stirlingshire, St Mirren, Aberdeen where he did a fantastic job and then Manchester United. He had a hard time at United to start with but the rest is history.

"What he's done is nothing short of remarkable. I know him pretty well. I used to go and watch Manchester United training when I was out of work.

"I don't think there's a better manager. I don't think that'll we'll see another manager stay at one club for 27 years. Who's going to do that?

"He's surpassed anything anyone could do. He's won virtually everything, European Cups, league titles. He's a top, top manager."

Lambert has always maintained he is confident Villa will beat the drop - and has been backed in that belief by Prime Minister and Villa fan David Cameron.

"People are always going to have their own opinions on it," said the Claret and Blue boss.

"The main thing is that we do our jobs and if the Prime Minister thinks that then it's really good of him. We'll wait and see come the end of the season."