Both Manchester City and United won their games on Sunday by identical margins to set up an exciting finish to the season.
The race for the Premier League title will go to the final game of the season as Manchester United beat Swansea City 2-0 at Old Trafford and Manchester City by an identical margin at Newcastle.
But it proved to be a bitter-sweet day for the reigning champions, who will start as significant underdogs to clinch an unprecedented 20th title as rivals Manchester City close in on their first top-flight crown since 1968.
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First-half goals from Paul Scholes and Ashley Young saw Sir Alex Ferguson's side draw level on points with City at the top of the table, but with a vastly inferior goal difference.
Patrice Evera. Pic/AFP
United kept the destiny of the Premier League trophy in doubt until the final round of games on May 13, but having surrendered an eight-point advantage, that promises to be scant reward for Ferguson's men.
To end the campaign, Manchester United travel to Sunderland, who have not beaten them in the league for 15 years, spanning 19 attempts.
However, City will be overwhelming favourites to beat a relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers side who have won just three times on the road this season.
The Premier League title has never yet been decided on goal difference, but there is every chance this season that it will.
United will have to better City's final day result to finish above their near neighbours.
Victories for both -- barring a mathematical miracle courtesy of an unlikely nine-goal swing -- will spark huge celebrations in the blue half of Manchester.
United kicked off knowing two goals from Yaya Toure had seen City cement their grip on the title with a 2-0 win at Newcastle United earlier in the day.
Asked shortly before the start if City had a hand on the title, Ferguson replied: "Probably two."
Swansea's Michel Vorm was by far the busier of the goalkeepers, and the Dutchman was forced into a fine double save to deny Patrice Evra from 20 yards, and then a close-range follow-up from Wayne Rooney.
Michael Carrick was at the heart of things as the hosts finally broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.
Antonio Valencia beat Neil Taylor to make strides down the right before pulling the ball back for the lurking Carrick, who quickly re-directed the ball into the six-yard box.
Swansea had plenty of bodies back to cover, but that failed to prevent Scholes from reacting first to open the scoring with a close-range flick.
The lack of celebration from the veteran midfielder to meet his fourth goal of the season betrayed the true feeling in the United camp, one that their chase was a forlorn one.
United's second goal arrived four minutes before the break.
Swansea were made to pay for being caught in possession as they attempted to pass out of their own area, Scholes winning the ball to square for Rooney in the penalty box.
The England forward's snap-shot was blocked, but fell invitingly for Young to curl his eighth goal of the season into the bottom-right corner with a calm right-foot finish from 15 yards.
Rooney wasted a clear opening to claim a career-best 27th Premier League goal of the season after being released by Carrick as Welsh club Swansea were again carved open in ruthless fashion.
Having already secured another season in the top flight, Swansea rarely looked like improving on a dire record at Old Trafford that now sees them without a victory there in nine visits.
Nathan Dyer curled an early long-range effort narrowly over, and David de Gea made a meal of a low 25-yard shot from Gylfi Sigurdsson, before the Spaniard made amends with a fine save to deny Danny Graham from close range after the break.
When De Gea clawed out Sigurdsson's long-range free-kick shortly after Dyer blazed high and wide from a promising position, the last chance of mounting an improbable comeback had gone.
Defeat left Swansea in 12th place, with only one victory in their last eight league matches going into their final game at home to Liverpool.
City on verge of English title after Toure double
Manchester City moved to within touching distance of a first English league title in 44 years after Yaya Toure scored twice in a 2-0 win at Newcastle United on Sunday.
Victory left leaders City in front of reigning Premier League champions Manchester United -- who beat Swansea City 2-0 later on Sunday -- on goal difference with just one round of fixtures remaining.
City have a goal-difference advantage of eight over United and if they beat Queens Park Rangers at Eastlands a week on Sunday, they will be all but assured of the title.
Yaya Toure celebrating his goals. Pic/AFP
Sir Alex Ferguson's United side would need to thrash Sunderland at the Stadium of Light to stand a chance of retaining their crown.
At St James' Park, Ivory Coast midfielder Toure opened the scoring for City in the 70th minute when he struck a curling shot from the edge of the box that beat Newcastle keeper Tim Krul.
Last crowned champions of England in 1968, City wasted several chances before Toure finished off a counter-attack a minute from full-time to seal victory.
However, Toure warned that there was still work to be done.
"It's not finished," he told Sky Sports. "We have one game left and we have to be careful as QPR are fighting to stay in the Premier League.
"This is brilliant for us, though."
City manager Roberto Mancini, whose side were eight points behind United just a few weeks ago, added: "I hope (this is enough) but I think that it is not."
Defeat left Newcastle in fifth place -- just outside the top-four spot they need to have a chance of Champions League qualification.
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