Two managers under pressure and two teams that have underperformed all season will lock horns when Manchester City host Chelsea in the big English Premier League clash Sunday.
Roberto Mancini might not have lost hope of retaining their Premier League title just yet, but he is among an increasing minority.
Rafa Benitez knows he is facing a losing battle at Chelsea even if he can somehow finish above City in second place while also winning some silverware, albeit not the kind they would have wanted at the start of the season.
City probably played their worst match of the season against Southampton a fortnight ago, a performance which left Mancini criticizing almost every single player in his team.
As a result, Manchester United are a cool 12 points clear at the top and that could become 15 depending on the result on Saturday when United travel to bottom club Queens Park Rangers.
"It's difficult to win all 12 games in a row in the Premier League but we will try," Mancini said. "Our target is to win the Premier League, not to finish second."
The reality of the situation is that the chances of Chelsea catching up to City is much higher than City turning the table on United. Only four points separate the Premier League champions and the European champions, and that gap can soon become a solitary point, if Chelsea come up trumps at the Etihad.
City were knocked out of Europe early, and now only have the F.A. Cup as their realistic shot at a trophy this season; that has led to suggestions that Mancini's job at City might not be as safe as many would imagine with Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini the latest to be linked with his job at the Etihad.
"F****** hell," was Mancini's response when asked about his future. "I can't continue to answer these questions every week. I can't continue to answer each week about one manager or another or another.
"But also because I don't understand this. Why would Manchester City change their manager? Since 2011 we have won three of seven trophies.
"I'm not the CEO or chairman, if you want to ask these questions ask them. I have four more years on my contract, I think I'm doing well, I am happy here."
The situation at Stamford Bridge is not quite rosy either, with Benitez constantly criticized by his own fans as he looks to salvage something from an otherwise disappointing season.
"We have had a lot of games," Benitez said. "If you win the Champions League and FA Cup you have to play the Super Cup and the Community Shield, and then we had Japan, so it was quite difficult.
"We had a few injuries as well so it was even more difficult, but now we have 22 players and we can manager in a better way, compete in different competitions and keep a good team on the pitch. I am quite positive that the team can do well.
"You always want to finish as high as possible, that's the challenge. We will finish second if we can, the next game is a massive one and then we'll see where we are, but I still think at the end of the season we'll all be fighting each other."
Chelsea have no injury worries, with Frank Lampard, Branislav Ivanovic and Ashley Cole sure to be fresh after being given a rest in the midweek game against Sparta Prague, while Demba Ba was cup-tied.
Benitez, though, has to make a decision on whether to play John Terry, who only recently returned from an injury, for a second straight game in three days.
City might again have to do without their inspirational skipper Vincent Kompany, who has missed the last four matches with a calf injury, while Gareth Barry also remains a doubt.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Nastasic, Lescott, Clichy; Garcia, Toure; Milner, Silva, Tevez; Aguero.
Chelsea: Cech; Azplicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Moses, Mata, Hazard; Ba.
Prediction: 2-2
