Table-toppers Lokomotiv Moscow face a tough clash with Rubin Kazan on Saturday in their last match of 2013 before the Russian Premier League's traditional winter break.
The two-time champions, who seized the outright lead for the first time since summer 2006 following a 3-1 win over Kuban Krasnodar on Monday, are two points ahead of Zenit St Petersburg.
The railway-backed side are happy to prove the sceptics wrong and cement their title aspirations.
"After last season's ninth place few people believed in us," skipper Roman Shishkin said.
"But we all wanted to prove that our critics were wrong.
"We're currently the leaders but we will need consistency in every single remaining match. And our next encounter with Rubin will definitely be a tough battle."
Kazan, who won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009, have had a rocky campaign this season, chalking up just five wins as they languish in 10th.
But their 3-0 win Monday over Amkar Perm allowed Rubin to keep alive their hopes of a European finish, although they trail fifth-placed Dynamo Moscow by nine points.
Rubin, who have already qualified for this season's Europa League knock-out stages, will be hoping for a third straight league win to boost their morale ahead of the break.
"In general I was pleased with my team's performance in our recent matches," Rubin manager Kurban Berdyev said.
"I have a feeling that we're on the way to a complete recovery after the bad run we experienced at the beginning of the season.
"Our next match with Lokomotiv will show whether I'm right or not."
Meanwhile, Zenit will be looking to end a four-match winless streak when they take on minnows Ural Yekaterinburg on Friday.
The St Petersburg side's Italian manager Luciano Spalletti said his team was ready to overcome a series of poor performances and regain the top spot they had held for most of the season, while they also hope to advance into the Champions League knockout stages next week.
"We want to be top of the league and advance into the Champions League play-offs at the end of the year. Those are our priorities for the remaining matches." said Spalletti.
"But we need to change our approach drastically and come into every one of the remaining matches with full concentration to achieve these objectives."
Third-placed Spartak Moscow, who thrashed Volga Nizhny Novgorod 6-1 on Sunday, will travel to Rostov, who are unbeaten in their four last matches.
Rostov, seeking revenge for the 2-0 defeat to Spartak earlier this season, will have to overcome some important absentees in Georgian midfielder Jano Ananidze and forward Artem Dzyuba, the joint top goalscorer in the league with 12 goals.
Both players are on loan from Spartak and ineligible to play against their parent club.
"It's a big loss for us but we shall play this match anyway," Rostov head coach Miodrag Bozovic said.
"We won two of our last three matches against Ural and Zenit and drew with reigning champions CSKA. I hope we will be able to earn a positive result in the match with Spartak also."
Fixtures
Friday
FC Krasnodar v CSKA Moscow
Zenit St Petersburg v Ural Yekaterinburg
FC Krasnodar v CSKA Moscow
Zenit St Petersburg v Ural Yekaterinburg
Saturday
Volga Nizhny Novgorod v Samara
Anzhi Makhachkala v Kuban Krasnodar
Lokomotiv Moscow v Rubin Kazan
Volga Nizhny Novgorod v Samara
Anzhi Makhachkala v Kuban Krasnodar
Lokomotiv Moscow v Rubin Kazan
Sunday
Rostov v Spartak Moscow
Dynamo Moscow v Amkar Perm
Terek Grozny v Tomsk
Rostov v Spartak Moscow
Dynamo Moscow v Amkar Perm
Terek Grozny v Tomsk
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