IT IS a cliché to treat every game as if it was your last, but it has become a routine for Derek Fazackerley in recent weeks.

When he was appointed as caretaker boss in January, the former assistant head coach could not have suspected he would still be in charge almost seven weeks later.

New owner Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth has indicated the process is close to a conclusion and is due to meet Fazackerley over the next couple of days.

It all points to tomorrow’s trip to AFC Wimbledon being the final fixture of United’s managerial limbo.

“That could well be the case,” Fazackerley said.

“I think there’s been an upturn in performance in the time that I’ve been in charge, but we need results as well.

“As time goes on, things will be getting resolved I’m sure, but that’s for other people.

“We can only deal with what’s in front of us and at the moment that’s just preparing the team for the game and making sure we’re in the best possible shape to try to get a few points out of the game.”

A win and a draw from five Sky Bet League One games is a meagre return, but victory tomorrow would see the new man inherit a side which has a cushion to the bottom four.

And while the pressing need for a result is most important for the club, it is also a matter of personal pride that Fazackerley hands over the baton in the right manner.

He said: “Very much so.

“I think my career record must be reasonable, otherwise I wouldn’t still be working in football.

“I’ve been in caretaker charge for five or six games and you want to go away with as many points as you can accumulate.

“Of course in doing that it will help the club in terms of where we are in the league.”

He added: “You just want to do the best job you possibly can and hope that’s good enough for the people in charge.

“Then whatever will be, will be in terms of who is going to take over.”

A host of names have been linked to the job, which has kept supporters talking for weeks.

But Fazackerley has actively avoided the discussion.

He said: “I’m not a betting man, I don’t read a lot of the newspapers, I don’t read social media, so I’m pretty much oblivious to a lot of what’s going around.

“Of course you hear one or two names when other members of staff say ‘what about this or that’.

“Truthfully I don’t know and I think it’s better that way.

“I’ll just continue and see where it takes us.”