The Royals will survive only if their result at Derby is better than Fulham's at Portsmouth. A draw would be enough should Fulham lose - unless Birmingham beat Blackburn. Then both Reading and Fulham are down.

The former England winger spoke passionately about his enthusiasm for continuing to take on the bigger clubs in the world's most popular league but was less effusive about whether he would stay on should his players fall short at Pride Park.

And that will inevitably intensify growing speculation that the 52-year-old would opt to end a spell in Berkshire that began in October 2003 when he replaced the West Ham-bound Alan Pardew, rather than trying to steer the club out of the Championship once again.

He said: "I want to manage right at the top level - I want to manage Reading right at the top level. I enjoy the job.

"I don't like losing but no manager does. I don't think Sir Alex Ferguson would have stayed at East Stirling for 30 years.

"I have been managing for seven years on the bounce but I still want to manage Reading in the top division. I came here because I knew that was my best chance of managing in the Premiership.

"I loved Brighton and enjoyed myself so much down there but I came here because I wanted to test myself against the best managers. I think it is an unfair competition but I still want to manage in the Premiership."

But of the prospect of next season in the Championship he would only add: "I'm not going to talk about that. The game is on Sunday.

"We haven't been relegated yet so I don't even want to think about it. I will think about it on Monday morning - if it happens."