While Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers will be looking to climb from the midst of midtable in the next couple of weeks, bragging rights are of huge importance this Friday.
The Dublin duo go head-to-head in the derby at Dalymount Park with Bohs in seventh and Pat Fenlon's Rovers in fifth.
Mark McCadden of The Irish Daily Star joined Oisin Langan and Richie McCormack on this week's Newstalk Airtricity League Podcast and he believes Rovers are "in a bit of a rut at the moment".
"They will challenge for Europe I've no doubt this season but they are a step behind Dundalk, they're a step behind Cork and right now they're a step behind Derry City," he said.
"I'm actually scratching my head at the moment because you have very creative players. You have Gary McCabe, you have [Brandon] Miele, you've Killian Brennan, you have a goalscorer in Danny North and you've a fell last year, Mikey Drennan who you're hoping would kick on this year and he's a very talented player. They've a strong defence, so you're kind of wondering.
"What I've seen of Rovers this year is the 2-0 defeat to Pats and highlights from Derry, and the performances have been lifeless and again for the players, that they have there, you've to kind of wonder why they're so poor."
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