Pep Guardiola said on Saturday winning the Premier League title with Manchester City will be "one of the best" moments of his illustrious managerial career.
Guardiola's City are on the verge of securing the title following their 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling.
Christian Eriksen had reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the first half, but City will be crowned champions if United lose to bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
If United draw the race would also effectively be over as City would be 15 points clear with a maximum of 15 available to Jose Mourinho's team, who have a vastly inferior goal difference.
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A United victory would keep City's celebrations on hold for a few more days at least. But a United defeat against Bournemouth in midweek or a City win over Swansea City next Sunday would wrap up the silverware.
Guardiola has won titles with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, while also conquering the Uefa Champions League during his Camp Nou reign.
But the Spaniard believes leading City to the title would rank among his finest moments.
"It's more difficult (to win in England). Physicality, weather conditions, the amount of games. The Premier League is so, so tough," Guardiola said. "That's why winning next week, hopefully we will, it will remain in our hearts forever.
"It's one of the best by far. Winning titles in every league is important, with Barcelona was special. But the Premier League is one of the nicest and most important."
After sweeping through most of the season in regal fashion, City had crashed down to earth with a bump over the last 10 days.
Their limp Champions League quarter-final exit against Liverpool came either side of their failure to clinch the title last weekend, when United came from two goals down to win 3-2.
But it quickly became clear that run of three successive defeats wasn't weighing on City.
"People said it was a big failure last week. They don't understand anything," Guardiola said.
"The Champions League is seven knockout games. The league is nine months. It's much more important what these players have done. The players have my total respect. It's incredible. They have been unbelievable."
Asked if it would be extra special to win a league where some said his purist principles wouldn't work, Guardiola said: "Yes. We did it ... we almost did it!"