Young: If Newcastle beat us, we deserve to go down

Wasps director of rugby David Young is confident his team can evade relegation from the Premiership after leaving the Recreation Ground with a losing bonus point from Saturday's 17-12 defeat against Bath.

That precious point was gifted by Bath replacement, fly-half Sam Vesty, who was ambushed by wing Tom Varndell, while prematurely celebrating what would have been Bath's fourth try, two minutes from time.

The result guaranteed the London club a firm advantage in their final-day relegation showdown with Newcastle on 5 May at Adams Park. The Falcons will need a sizeable win, while denying Wasps a bonus point, to ensure they are the ones to avoid the drop.

Young, however, says that the only scenario his side should be looking at is a home victory.

"We just have to win," he said. "It's in our hands. If Newcastle come and win by that margin they deserve to stay up. If we don't win our own game and the other team win by 24 points, we have to look at ourselves really."

Bath's outgoing director of rugby, Sir Ian McGeechan, made no secret of the fact he wants Wasps to remain a top-flight side. "It's going to be one hell of a game. I hope Wasps win," he said.

Meanwhile, Sale chief executive Steve Diamond has denied allegations that his club made an illegal approach to Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath.

Sale put one foot in the Heineken Cup by edging their virtual showdown with Gloucester 24-19 for the last remaining place in next season's competition via the Premiership.

But Sale's victory was overshadowed by the controversy involving Redpath, who put in his letter of resignation to Gloucester – which led to legal threats from their director Ryan Walkinshaw if there was evidence to suggest approaches had been made.

Speculation has been building that Redpath was going to Sale, and Diamond said: "The true version is that we have had no conversations with Redpath [prior to him quitting Gloucester]. I have had discussions with his agent since he resigned but, up until then, nothing.

"I think he has interviews at Munster and possibly Bath so he has a busy agenda. If he is available, we are going to speak with him.

" We will make a decision at the end of the season. We need someone in place by 6 June for pre-season."

As for the result, Diamond said: "We are on the up and, if we can qualify for Europe, it will be a great result for the club. It will be really positive for rugby in Manchester. It is always a difficult place to come but it is good to shut their crowd up."