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Mamelodi Sundowns will be presented with a great opportunity to draw level on points with Kaizer Chiefs on the Absa Premiership log when they meet on Saturday evening at the FNB Stadium.
Kick-off is at 20:00.
The Amakhosi managed to move three points clear at the top of the league standings when they bounced back from their CAF Champions League exit to claim a 2-0 league win over Golden Arrows.
It was a victory that allowed Chiefs to have a bit of breathing space once again, but this weekend’s encounter has the possibility to split the title race wide open again.
“We have the game against Sundowns on the weekend and immediately after last night’s win [against Arrows] it's most important to recover and find that edge,” says head coach Stuart Baxter.
“It's a game that it's important because obviously it's against one of our toughest competitors and to a great degree it puts them at arm’s length.
“For them, of course, it is a vital game because if they lose they know they are at arm’s length and it will be last chance saloon. It will be a very good game I think because both teams want to play football.”
The Englishman added: “I want to look at this as any other game. So many people say every game is a decider and they say the same about this game, but I don't think it is.
“In theory every game is a decider because it's three points and whoever wins this game will give each team a certain impetus.”
Sundowns, meanwhile, have been in highly impressive form and will be eager to get the better of their archrivals when they take to the field of Soccer City.
Despite the game weighing a lot on the title race, a rejuvenated Lebohang Mokoena says there is no pressure on their end.
“Against Chiefs we want to continue our good run and we are not putting ourselves under any pressure because we fully understand that the match is not a title decider, as believed by many. The other factor to consider is that there are still other teams still with a mathematical chance,” said Cheeseboy, as he is affectionately known.
“Even if you look at the situation just from both Sundowns and Chiefs point of view, the title will still not be decided on Saturday because both sides will still have more than four matches left before the end of the season.
“Besides we know that if we put the title talk in our minds we would be putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure, while there are far more important things we should be thinking about. Collecting maximum points from the match should be the only thing in our minds.”
