Brentford and Ipswich Town will go head to head at Griffin Park on Boxing Day knowing that a win for either side would send them to the top of the Championship table for a couple of hours at least.
The hosts have surprised everyone with their promotion challenge this season and moved up to third in the table on Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Cardiff City.
They sit just two points behind leaders Bournemouth, who face Fulham in a 3pm kickoff on Friday, so would leapfrog both Ipswich and the Cherries with a third consecutive victory.
Indeed, they have now won seven of their last eight outings, a run that stretches all the way back to October and includes victories over fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers.
Only Ipswich can boast a better home record than the Bees so far, with Brentford having lost just once all season and won their last four at Griffin Park coming into this match.
Mark Warburton has been able to name more ever-presents in his side than any other manager so far, and Alan Judge, Jake Bidwell, Alex Pritchard and David Button are all expected to start once again.
Ipswich will pose a stern test for the Bees, however, as they also go in search of top spot. They are one point better off than their Boxing Day hosts and would move two points clear at the top with victory.
Their promotion hopes were given a major boost with a 2-0 triumph over fellow high-flyers Middlesbrough on Saturday, a result that extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches.
They have now only lost once since the derby day defeat to Norwich City in August, a run that stretches back an incredible 18 matches.
Mick McCarthy's side have kept three clean sheets in their last four outings, and now boast the second stingiest defence in the entire division, behind only Boro.
If there is a weak spot currently for the Tractor Boys, however, it comes away from home, where they have only won three times all season.
They will be confident of having the firepower to cause Brentford problems, though, with the league's top scorer Daryl Murphy netting once again during the victory over Middlesbrough.
Jay Tabb also scored in that match, and he is in line to make his first return to Griffin Park since ending a six-year stint at Brentford in 2006.
Luke Hyam remains sidelined with an Achilles injury, but rumoured Premier League target Tyrone Mings should be available, while Cole Skuse and Stephen Hunt are also expected to be fit.
This will be the first time that these two teams have met since February 1957, when they drew 1-1 in a Third Division encounter.
Brentford:
Recent form: WWWLWW
Possible starting lineup: Button; Odubajo, Craig, Dean, Bidwell; Jota, Pritchard, Douglas, Diagouraga, Judge; Gray
Ipswich:
Recent form: WDWWDW
Possible starting lineup: Bialkowski; Chambers, Smith, Berra, Mings; Anderson, Bishop, Skuse, Tabb; McGoldrick, Murphy
Sports Mole says: 2-2
Barney Corkhill
