England centurion Jonathan Trott insisted an Ashes victory was not a formality despite setting Australia a target of 546 in the final Test.
"I don't think we should look at it like that," said the debutant.
"We need to chip away in each session, have a good first hour on Sunday and nip out a few to put pressure on them like we did in the first innings."
Australian batsman Marcus North said: "We can win even though it is a massive target and history is against us."
Openers Simon Katich, with 42, and Shane Watson, on 31, helped Australia make an assured start at 80-0 as they began their chase towards what would be a world-record winning tally.
North, who plays for Hampshire, added: "It is too early to look that far ahead. There is a lot of cricket left to be played.
"What you will see on Sunday is 11 players coming back and showing a lot of character. If we can do that then hopefully it will give us a chance. The first obstacle was to get through Saturday night and Simon and Watto did that."
South African-born Trott became the 18th England player to score a century on his debut - and only the third to do so at The Oval - when he made 119 , thereby justifying the selectors' decision to give him his first Test opportunity in such a high-pressure match.
"I always felt I was there or thereabouts. I've got my chance and it's just an amazing day," said the Warwickshire batsman.
Asked how he would celebrate the special occasion the 28-year-old said: "I'll maybe have a quiet meal and try to put everything on hold - and hopefully we'll win the game.
"The hundred was surreal but I'll have to put it in the memory bank - we've got to look forward.
"Hopefully at the end of the game I can look back and enjoy the moment but we're concentrating on 10 wickets.
"At the start of the game a win was the most important thing, and still is, but to have a personal achievement is an added bonus.
History against Australia - North
"It's something you work for. You work hard to contribute to a successful side and I like to think I have done that, and we can have a good day on Sunday."
Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said the tourists would battle every inch of the way in pursuit of a fourth-innings target never previously achieved in any first-class match.
"I'm not going to speculate on the result," he said. "We've got two days of cricket and it's going to be two very tough days. One thing I can tell you is we've got 11 guys in that dressing room who are going to be fighting tooth and nail.
"England had the momentum with [Graeme] Swann and [Jonathan] Trott's partnership and sometimes in cricket as we know you can take that on to the field, but the way Simon [Katich] and Shane [Watson] played at the end was outstanding."
Although the pitch looked worn and as if it would create havoc for the batsmen, that was not the case and Haddin added: "I think on the stump to stump line it's a very good wicket.
"A few balls have gone through the top a little bit but the majority of those are wider and it's still a very good wicket, there were over 400 runs scored in a day."
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