CSKA Moscow enter Saturday's showdown with Zenit St. Petersburg knowing only victory will prevent the Russian Premier League title heading north for a second successive season.
As if the task of overhauling Zenit's 11-point lead with six games remaining weren't enough, the army side must do it without linchpin central defender Sergei Ignashevich, the flair of midfielder Alan Dzagoev, and with a misfiring striker in Seydou Doumbia.
The two Russians are injured, both with broken toes, while the Ivorian forward Doumbia, who lead's the scoring charts with 27 goals, has been sluggish of late.
But brightening CSKA's afternoon could be the return of goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, who resumed training this month after eight months out with knee ligament damage.
Zenit are also hampered by injuries though not to the same extent.
Andrei Arshavin and Szabolcs Huszti can provide the creative cover for playmaker Miguel Danny, out with a long-term knee problem, and injury victim Viktor Fayzulin.
Sergei Semak has nearly recovered from foot trouble that ruled him out of the 1-0 win at Lokomotiv Moscow last week, but remains in doubt.
Up front, Danko Lazovich is out but there is plenty of cover in the club's top scorer Alexander Kerzhakov, Alexander Bukharov and Maxim Kanunnikov.
Form-wise, Zenit are on a fearsome 15-match unbeaten run that stretches back to a 4-2 defeat at Lokomotiv in September, while CSKA have just one win in their last nine.
A win for the home side on Saturday will put Zenit 14 points clear with 15 points left to play for, requiring a single draw from the five remaining games to secure the title. A CSKA victory will cut the deficit to eight points.
Elsewhere, the race for second intensifies.
Spartak Moscow, one point behind CSKA, will fancy their chances of turning up the heat on their cross-town rivals when they host a Rubin Kazan side with just one win in their last six.
Dynamo Moscow, three points off CSKA, have a trickier test in a trip to Anzhi, where Guus Hiddink's side are unbeaten since October.
Dan Petrescu's FC Kuban host Lokomotiv trying to escape from a rut of just one win in their last nine, and further slow the Muscovites' charge toward second.
Jose Couceiro's side won three of their four games in March but lost their last two.
In the relegation group, bottom side Spartak Nalchik, who are ten points from safety, play 13th-placed FC Volga; second-last FC Tom Tomsk welcome Terek Grozny; Amkar travel to Krylya Sovetov; and Rostov in 12th host Krasnodar in ninth on Monday.
