Relations between Manchester United and Chelsea have regularly appeared at breaking point in recent weeks and now even friendships have become strained as the clubs prepare for an epic final-day battle for the Barclays Premier League title.

Owen Hargreaves and Michael Ballack were team-mates and friends at Bayern Munich, but the Manchester United midfield player hit back yesterday at claims by his Chelsea counterpart that the champions will be feeling the heat when they travel to face Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

Ballack claimed earlier in the week that United's players would be enduring “the longest week of their lives”, but Hargreaves moved to quell fears that the pressure might tell.

Victory for United at the JJB Stadium should ensure United regain their crown, given that Chelsea, who are at home to Bolton Wanderers, have a far inferior goal difference, and Hargreaves is confident that they will be successful before turning their attention to the Champions League final against the West London club in Moscow on Wednesday week.

“As long as we're in control of our destiny, I don't think we need to worry too much,” Hargreaves said. “We've got 90 minutes to play and it's a great position to be in. Wigan have done themselves a favour by beating Aston Villa [last weekend to guarantee their safety], so this game doesn't mean a lot to them, but it means everything to us.”

To listen to Dave Whelan, the Wigan chairman, speak yesterday, however, Steve Bruce's players appear to be approaching the game as if their Premier League status depends on it. “The talk of us rolling over and letting Sir Alex Ferguson's team win is absolute rubbish because there is nothing we would like better than to roll United over on Sunday,” Whelan said. “If they put on a performance like they did [[against Villa I would say Manchester United have got a hell of a fight on their hands here.”

Unlike Paul Jewell, the former Wigan manager, whom Whelan claims was overawed by games against the big clubs, the chairman believes that Bruce thrives on the big occasion and expects his manager to be in the running to take over at Old Trafford when Ferguson eventually retires. “When Paul Jewell was here, he was a great manager, but I used to feel that when we went to Anfield or Old Trafford or played the big teams, the size of the match used to get to the boss a little bit,” Whelan said.

“Steve Bruce doesn't have any respect for the big teams. He respects them as football clubs, but he is not bothered how big they are. He wants to go and beat them and you saw that at Villa last Saturday.

“At the time I appointed Steve, I have to say I feared the worst and I thought we would slide out of the Premier League. It was an awesome task he had in front of him and I wondered, with how the team was playing, how he was going them together. But he did it. If United go for Steve [as their next manager], you've no chance of standing in his way and I wouldn't even contemplate doing so.”

As well as Bruce, Luis Antonio Valencia, the Ecuador winger, and Wilson Palacios, the Honduras midfield player, may feel that they have a point to prove against United. Both have been linked with summer moves to Old Trafford, but while Whelan says that no offers have yet been forthcoming and that he wants to keep the players at Wigan, the chairman would not stand in their way if United came calling.

“We've had three clubs chasing Palacios and Valencia,” Whelan said. “It really is difficult [to keep good players], so if Man United knock on the door for Valencia or Palacios, how am I going to stop them going?

“Am I going to stop those lads climbing the ladder? I couldn't sleep at night if I said, 'No, you are staying here'. If it's a fair deal for the club and for the players then so be it.”

Having expressed dismay at the manner of Liverpool's cash-plus-players offer for Gareth Barry, the Aston Villa captain, however, Whelan believes that any approach for Valencia or Palacios by United would be done “totally upfront”.

He said: “These roundabout ways clubs get into, saying we'll give you £4million and three players, is no good. If you have a player, you want a straight offer. You want someone like Sir Alex who is upfront and says, ‘I'd like to buy that player and we'll give you so much.'”