Coach Jacques Santini faces the biggest test of his short Tottenham Hotspur career this weekend when Spurs try to end 14 years of hurt at Chelsea.
The Frenchman's first London derby on Sunday is a chance to end an atrocious record at Stamford Bridge, with Spurs last registering a league win there back in February 1990 -- 28 games ago.
Both sides have undergone major changes this year and Santini will hope that talk of a west London jinx is wasted on the likes of striker Jermain Defoe, impressive new midfielders Thimothee Atouba and Pedro Mendes and England keeper Paul Robinson.
Spurs, like Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, are unbeaten under a new manager and desperate to improve on last season's showing -- although the similarities do not go much deeper.
The north Londoners are hoping at best for a UEFA Cup slot, having flirted with relegation earlier this year under David Pleat, while Chelsea are bidding for their first league title for 50 years and a conquest of Europe in the Champions League.
Spurs are six points behind leaders Arsenal after being held 0-0 by promoted Norwich City at White Hart Lane last weekend, while Chelsea are just two points adrift of the champions.
Chelsea have already made their European ambitions clear with a 3-0 demolition of Paris St Germain in their opening group game at the Parc des Princes in midweek.
One consequence of that win, though, is that Mourinho may rest his main striker Didier Drogba and give Adrian Mutu or Mateja Kezman a start alongside Eidur Gudjohnsen up front.
Champions Arsenal take on the Premier League's surprise packet, Bolton Wanderers, while Manchester United and Liverpool must bide their time before meeting at Old Trafford on Monday.
ARSENAL'S RECORD
Arsenal's unbeaten league record extends to 45 games before they face Sam Allardyce's Bolton, riding high in third place and well aware they are a bogey team for Arsene Wenger's side.
Bolton dealt Arsenal's title hopes a fatal blow two seasons ago in a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium which the hosts could easily have won.
Looking ahead to Saturday's early kick-off, Allardyce told the club's website: "We must nullify their strengths, which we have done in the past, and try to expose their weaknesses whenever we get the opportunities.
"We must put a needle of doubt into them and try to get that little bit of doubt into their bodies because, at the end of the day, they are only human and human beings under the right pressure will make mistakes."
Arsenal made few mistakes in their 1-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday, but showed little of their usual swashbuckling, attacking style at Highbury.
Midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg, who missed Tuesday's game with a back problem, should return to the right flank, allowing Robert Pires to take up his usual slot on the left.
Manchester United welcome central defender Rio Ferdinand back from an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test in their game with a resurgent Liverpool.
Manager Alex Ferguson hopes Ferdinand's arrival will settle an erratic rearguard which has not been helped by recent mistakes from American goalkeeper Tim Howard.
United recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 at Olympique Lyon in midweek, while Liverpool were a lot more convincing in their 2-0 Champions League win over Monaco at Anfield.
Liverpool won this fixture 1-0 in April and on current form will fancy their chances of repeating that result.
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