Kaizer Chiefs will be out to move a step closer to the Absa Premiership title when they meet fierce rivals Orlando Pirates in the 155th Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Kick-off is at 3:30 pm.
The Amakhosi head into the weekend's fixtures 10-points clear atop the league table with a win over the Buccaneers set to take them a mere five wins away from reclaiming the league title from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs haven't been their ruthless selves since the turn of the year, but a 1-0 win over Township Rollers followed by their first league win of 2015 against Ajax Cape Town in midweek has seemingly ignited the Glamour Boys' engine once again.
Unlike the reverse fixture in December last year, Pirates will head into the game with some momentum having assembled a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions since their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Stuart Baxter's men.
Amakosi captain Tefu Mashamaite insists that despite Chiefs' lack of goal-scoring form this year, their ability to still register results will go a long way in winning the league.
"I would rather take playing bad and winning than playing well and losing. It is a critical faze of the season, every point counts so we just have to keep on going," said Mashamaite who scored the only goal in the MTN8 final win over Pirates earlier this season.
"It is a long campaign, it is not always going to be smooth, but if you manage to scrape out results I think that is a positive and you can build on that.
"The mood is positive [ahead of the derby]. It is the same approach, same food and I think if you take care of those basics the result is more likely to take care of itself.
“I’m energetic and confident. I feel pressure only exists for people begging on the streets. We have no pressure."
Caretaker coach Eric Tinkler is eager to get some revenge having seen Pirates lose to Chiefs in what was his first game in charge of the Soweto club.
The Buccaneers also suffered a 1-0 loss to Chiefs in the MTN8 final earlier this season and the former Bafana Bafana midfielder hopes that it will indeed be the Ghost who will come out on top at the weekend.
"I don't think anybody would like to see Kaizer Chiefs win the Absa Premiership with five or six games to spare. Nobody wants to lose. There is a lot of pride and bragging rights at stake. What's also important is to allow the players to express themselves a little bit more," said Tinkler.
"My first game in charge was against Kaizer Chiefs, and we lost, so this will be a bit of payback from the last result.
“It was unfortunate that we lost the top 8 and the first league match and we would like to turn that tide."
In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Pirates have met in 58 league matches since 1985.
The Amakhosi have 24 wins compared to 12 for the Buccaneers, while 22 matches have been drawn.
Chiefs have won 13 of their 27 home matches against Pirates, suffering five defeats in the process.
When the teams met earlier this season, the Amakhosi claimed a 2-0 away win thanks to goals from Siphiwe Tshabalala and Siphelele Mthembu.
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