Manchester United may already have one hand on the Barclays Premier League but Sir Alex Ferguson is ensuring complacency does not creep in, according to midfielder Michael Carrick.
Rafael and Ryan Giggs scored on Saturday as United secured a 2-0 victory at embattled QPR, with rivals Manchester City needing a meltdown of unparalleled proportions for the Red Devils to let a 20th title slip from their grasp.
England international Carrick knows United are in an incredible position of strength but will not be taking that for granted over the remaining 11 matches.
"We've got a job to do and the manager said that we need to take it game to game and just win the next game if we can," he said.
"You can't look too far ahead because it can come back and bite you.
"We've got the experience around the place and obviously the manager sets the tone.
"I think you saw against QPR it was just about that game, getting the result and moving onto the next one."
Carrick was one of a number of experienced players drafted in by Ferguson for the trip to Loftus Road in a bid to avoid a potential banana skin.
"It's not always going to be pretty," he said, speaking to MUTV. "Sometimes you have to grind it out, work hard and make the most of the opportunities.
"That comes from experience as well and the manager picked an experience side today, who would be able to cope with that.
"We played some good football at times when we had the chance, but other times it was about defending well and playing on the break.
"All in all, I think we can be really delighted with how the day has gone."
While Saturday was a team performance, Giggs, like so many times before, is the focus of attention.
The 39-year-old made his 999th senior appearance on Saturday and scored a fine effort at the same end he netted an iconic goal 19 years previously.
"He is incredible, isn't he? He is still making those runs into the box and the condition he is in," Carrick said.
"He is light on his feet, drifts past people still at that age. His quality and experience and brings so much to the team not just on the pitch but off it as well. Incredible."
While United look to be a matter of games away from the title, bottom-place QPR are edging closer to the drop.
Just 11 matches stand between them and relegation, with seven points currently separating them and safety.
"It is another game down, but no-one has stretched the margin," QPR forward Jamie Mackie said.
"It's important for us to try and get a result, a few back-to-back results, so we could be in there.
"It is going to be hard but we've got to keep going, keep trying to play and get a result. That's all you can do.
"I think we were playing the champions, in my opinion. They are a top draw side and he (Rafael) has scored a worldie. If he hadn't done that, maybe we were in the game.
"It's hard when we keep going 1-0 down and have to chase a game. It's tough.
"Next is Southampton and if we can get results against the teams in and around us it is almost like a double game."
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