Orlando Pirates will take aim at having the pendulum moving towards their advantage upon returning to Betway Premiership action on Wednesday after a three-week break.
The Buccaneers will have two games in hand and sit within three points of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns if they record a victory at Orlando Pirates against Polokwane City.
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That is the position they will desire with their next match after Polokwane, being the short trip to Loftus Versfeld to meet Mamelodi Sundowns on November 1.
Should they also win that match, they will go level on points with the champions while carrying the benefit of having two games in hand ahead of the last round of fixtures before the November FIFA break.
Abdeslam Ouaddou will arrive at Orlando aware of all of this during a week in which he must also plot to reverse a 3-0 deficit in the second leg of the CAF Champions League second qualifying round against Saint-Eloi Lupopo.
The question around the head coach's selection decisions will stand again after he opted to drop Lebone Seema in favour of Nkosinathi Sibisi in Lubumbashi.
Seema has quickly established himself in central defence, partnering Mbekezeli Mbokazi in a triangle that has had Sipho Chaine behind them.
The stability needed in those three positions normally calls for consistency instead, and Ouaddou knows it all too well having been a central defender in his playing days.
Pirates have built the best defensive record in the league so far this season, conceding only thrice.
Deon Hotto on the left should be standard, while Thabiso Lebitso is expected to get another run on the right with Deano van Rooyen still out.
The central midfield options are plenty in Thalente Mbatha, Sipho Mbule, Sihle Nduli, and Masindi Nemtajela, while further up, Patrick Maswanganyi, Kabelo Dlamini, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, and Kamogelo Sebelebele will provide options.
There will be a toss of the coin up front between Evidence Makgopa and Tshegofatso Mabasa.
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The Soweto giants sit third on the standings with 15 points despite having played the least number of games to date at seven.
Their opponents on Wednesday - Polokwane City - also have 15 points and tend to be a tough nut to crack with Phuti Mohafe's tactics moulded around stubbornness feeding on heavy mileage across the field.