Manchester United skipper Patrice Evra still believes the Red Devils can pull off a record 20th title on Sunday.
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Manchester United skipper Patrice Evra still believes the Red Devils can pull off a record 20th title on Sunday.
United head to Sunderland knowing not even victory will help them secure the title if rivals Manchester City beat QPR at the Etihad Stadium.
While City have lost points at home just once this term - ironically against the Black Cats - Evra has not given up hope just yet.
"Maybe people will say I'm crazy or that I'm only saying this because I'm a Manchester United player, but I still believe we can win the title," he said.
"I know the destiny is not in our hands and Sunderland is not an easy place to go but I think we will win in front of all their fans.
"We have no choice but to believe. If we want to keep believing in the miracle we have to beat Sunderland."
But Evra did admit the Red Devils had "killed themselves" by tossing away an eight-point lead with just six games of the Premier League remaining.
At that point last month, when City lost at Arsenal just hours after United had beaten QPR, there appeared to be only one outcome.
Handed initiative
But defeats to Wigan and City - with a 4-4 home draw with Everton sandwiched in between - has handed the initiative to Roberto Mancini's men heading into Sunday's finale.
"I don't like to look into the past because the past can't benefit the present," said Evra.
"But it's a reality. We killed ourselves when we were eight points clear with six games to go.
"We were winning 4-2 against Everton and then, in the last six minutes, ended up with a draw, at Old Trafford. I thought something like that wasn't possible.
"It was a bad sign."
Even after they had subsequently lost the Manchester derby to City, United still had a get-out when the Blues visited in-form Newcastle last week.
But Mancini's men produced one of their best away performances of the season to secure a precious 2-0 win, leaving United to pick themselves up off the floor immediately before their game against Swansea, which they went on to win by the same scoreline.
"We were really down because we expected a little miracle from Newcastle and it didn't happen," admitted Evra.
