Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has warned his players not to waste the opportunity to tighten their grip at the top of the Barclays Premier League this evening by allowing thoughts to drift to what he believes will be a pivotal weekend in the title race.

United will move three points clear of Arsenal if they win their game in hand against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford tonight, but defeat, coupled with a victory for Chelsea away to Tottenham Hotspur, would draw Avram Grant’s team level on points with the top two with only eight games to go and leave the championship battle on a knife-edge before two mouthwatering matches on Sunday, when Ferguson’s team are at home to Liverpool in the lunchtime kick-off before Chelsea play Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

However, to listen to Grant yesterday, such is the pressure on his shoulders that even winning the title may not be enough for him to keep his job as first-team coach. Grant enjoys a close friendship with Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, but the Israeli is not expecting any preferential treatment.

“We don’t bring the friendship to the club,” Grant said. “We are good friends, but when we have spoken about the team or about the plan for the team, or what has happened or what will happen, that friendship hasn’t come into it. That is totally separate. When I got the job, my only concern was to make Chelsea better and to follow the vision of the club. Roman Abramovich and the board told me what they believed about that vision and I follow that and do what I think we need to do.

“I think we have done well up to now, although we have had some problems because we have lost some games. If he sacks me, I think we will still be friends.”

Although United leapfrogged Arsenal on goal difference at the top of the table on Saturday courtesy of a 1-0 victory away to Derby County, Ferguson believes that his team’s struggles in front of goal in that match should serve as a reminder to his players not to underestimate Bolton, who are in the relegation zone.

“There are big games coming up and Liverpool is one of them, especially when you consider Chelsea are playing Arsenal on the same day,” the United manager said. “But when you see what happened at Derby on Saturday, not taking our chances, you realise you can’t take anything for granted. Sure, there are big weekends ahead, but the other matches are just as important.”

Although Bolton are two points adrift of safety and are likely to be without the injured Gary Cahill, Kevin Nolan and Jussi Jaaskelainen – the goalkeeper has been ruled out for the rest of the season – Ferguson is expecting a battle. “They are fighting for survival and any team fighting for survival have to fight,” he said. “If we perform well and take our chances then we’ll win the match, but it’s important we respect our opponents.”

Bolton beat United 1-0 at the Reebok Stadium in November, but while Nicolas Anelka, the match-winner that day, has since joined Chelsea, Ferguson believes that Kevin Davies will prove a handful. The burly Bolton striker clashed with Patrice Evra, the United left back, on several occasions during the reverse fixture and Ferguson’s complaints to Mark Clattenburg, the referee, resulted in the Scot being sent to the stands.

“Obviously they are missing Nicolas Anelka’s goals, but they have Kevin Davies up front and he will do everything he possibly can to unsettle us,” Ferguson said. “He’s a physical lad and we have to deal with that.”