'It is the world's best league. Let's defend it'

The 20th season of the Premier League builds to an astonishing climax, with tales of the unexpected from top to toe, with crazy scorelines and storylines and officials happy to remind everyone from Uefa to La Liga and potential broadcast partners that they are the best-run, most competitive league in the world.

"I've been here 13 and a half years and I have never felt as excited as this,' said the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, talking in his office yesterday (Thursday). "It's the entertainment value. Look at the amount of times the press and public have said the title race is over. At Christmas one of your colleagues was forecasting adamantly that 'Manchester City would win by 10 clear points'. Only five weeks ago, it was 'Manchester United would win by 10 clear points'.

"Here we are with only eight goals between such arch-rivals. It's always nice to have another name on the trophy but when it comes down to this point we really don't care. It's a fantastic achievement by City or United whichever way it goes now.' Scudamore enjoyed his trip to the Etihad on Monday, noting that the wealthiest club in the world, a target for Michel Platini's Uefa Financial Fair Play rules on spending, remained very engaged with its past. "There were loads of ex-players there: Francis Lee, Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Joe Corrigan, Tommy Booth. I thought: 'This isn't a club that has forgotten its heritage.' What's happening at City now means so much to people who have borne the scars for 40 years.

"We have to make sure that FFP doesn't kill what we are. We have to keep monitoring it. You can't go to the Etihad and say 'that's wrong' when you look at the way the owners have invested in the club, outside the club, look at that fans' area and the Etihad Campus training development.

"It would have been nice for Platini to be there on Monday. It is a strong point to make to him: this is what you get when you welcome in inward investment. Any other industry would be welcoming that inward investment. We should welcome it with open arms." Assisted by Arab money, City have tested even the mighty United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Would victory be his greatest achievement?

"I wouldn't really judge technical things but you could argue as the seasons go on it gets harder and harder and harder. There are more warriors at the gate. Boy, there are some warriors out there! So, yes, it would be [his greatest achievement] in that it's ever more difficult to succeed.

"We absolutely hope there will be even more involved in the race next season. Look how it's evolved. United won it three years in a row, then there was that Arsenal team that nobody could beat. That duopoly has really evolved. Chelsea came along. City came along. Now Tottenham and Newcastle. Even talking about Newcastle in this group is fantastic for the game.

"I look at La Liga and think they have two fantastic clubs but I can't see any of the others challenging those two any time soon. I look at ours and, whilst we have two at the minute who are a little bit ahead of the pack, there is far more competitiveness. Yes they have Messi and Ronaldo but we have some decent players too.

"I always enjoy watching Wayne Rooney play. I thought Mr Zabaleta playing for City the other night was just magnificent. Ashley Cole always continues to impress, always in the right place, right time.

"This morning Papiss Cisse is centre-stage. That second goal against Chelsea was staggering. We've been discussing the 'best goals of the 20 Premier League seasons' and another candidate comes along. You can argue whether the League is technically as good it's ever been and whether defending is as good but there's something compelling every weekend: 4-4, 4-0, 0-4.

"We were all at Wembley for the League Cup final, sitting there for lunch, watching the television of Arsenal v Tottenham. All the Tottenham fans were gloating at being 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. By the time the pudding came round it was 5-2 to Arsenal. If I go back 13 years, there was a lot of talk about 'it's so defensive'. People have worked out draws are not good enough. It's far more positive. The attacking is quicker. Unexpected things happen.

"More than any other league, ours throws up what look like 'giantkilling' acts but that's an insult to any team in the league. They are all capable. Bottom can beat top. Wigan beat United and look at their performance against Newcastle, who aren't Mugs of the Season are they? That's an unbelievable first half of football from Wigan.

"Everyone thought Roberto Martinez was daft not to go to Aston Villa. Now look at Wigan - they are pulling away." Concerns persist. Terrace abuse has been horrific at times. "We have a culture where people think they can say what they like about anybody,' said Scudamore. "That is the downside of Twitter. You are going to get excesses. The upside of social media is everyone is more accessible, fans are engaged more with players and journalists.

"Football is so well managed and so safe that people within 15 yards of a highly-honed athlete with 10 of his athletic mates standing behind him can be abusive. You wouldn't do it in the streets. I'm not saying it's a good thing. It's a consequence of creating a safe environment where people can do tribal things with impunity. I get offended more by the organised chanting about things like Munich, which is abhorrent, then the individual abuse a player gets when he goes to take a corner. We have to strike a balance. What are the attributes of English football? It is the passionate supporters, its partisan nature, the singing, the chanting, the noise, the energy. That game on Monday was fantastic. It won't be remembered for attempts on goal but the intensity of the play, fans, even managers, was fantastic. That's what stands us out from other leagues. You have to be careful you don't neuter that. Clearly when it comes to racism, homophobia, anything discriminatory, there are certain boundaries which we shouldn't step beyond. The challenge is to tackle that without sanitising football.' Scudamore believes Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish have learned from their poor handling of the Luis Saurez racism saga. "In fairness to Kenny, he said that had he had his time again, he might have done things differently. The owners have been very clear about their position on it. Time heals. Everybody is a lot wiser.' It has been a season of controversies. For many Blackburn fans, their manager Steve Kean is seen as the public face of the Venky's owners and he was particularly castigated during the home defeat to Bolton.

"The vilification was unacceptable, too extreme,' said Scudamore.

"Kean absolutely wants what the fans want: for those players to give of their best. It's not been a great season for them. It is entirely right that fans are able to express their concerns. It is entirely right that clubs have to have a dialogue with fans. But do Venky's abide by the rules? Yes they do. Are they law-abiding people? Yes they are. The decisions they take is entirely their concern. They [Venky's] do have dialogue.' Generally, some supporters are feeling disenfranchised, especially with rising ticket costs. "Fans are not being priced out. There is a range of prices. If you compare football with what people are paying for their other forms of entertainment, a night at the pub, people are still able to go. Can people on low incomes or out of work go to games? Candidly, probably not. But most people can make the cuts to their discretionary income to spend on tickets because football is more important than any other activity in their lives." So many issues. The thought of Rangers or Celtic coming south drew a withering response. "No. No. The Premier League doesn't want them.

We've never wanted them. We've never needed them. By rule, we are English and Welsh football. That's another great story this season: the first Welsh contribution to the Premier League. Swansea are brilliant. I like going there. I like watching them. Nice people.

"Pretty much fan-owned. They are mad keen fans. Norwich have also played good football.' In an extraordinary 20th season of the Premier League, Scudamore took pride and comfort from the sport's response to Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest. "The fan reaction was superb, the way the medical team went into action was superb. If you are going to have that terrible thing happen to you one of the best places to be is in the middle of a Premier League pitch.'