It's matchday five in the League of Ireland yet we already have a game with pressure on managers to deliver a result in as Dundalk travel to Richmond Park.
St Pat's lost 12 matches last season, yet only finished 10 points off top. Manager Jon Daly’s record is hugely impressive helped also by the FAI Cup run.
Nevertheless, a fourth loss in five would be a disastrous start for the Saints as they were aiming to improve their league showing.
That 10-point gap would be established after less than a month of the season if results don’t go their way here.
For Dundalk, their home record reads seven goals conceded and none scored. The fact the matches were against sides tipped to be in the relegation mix makes it all the more concerning.
Stephen O’Donnell has had to be creative in the transfer market. The reality of not shopping in the higher end of the league is hitting home for the Lilywhites with a mixture of Scottish and England permanent and loan signings along with a few remaining stalwarts of their glory days.
O’Donnell’s position could soon come under the spotlight with new owner Brian Ainscough in situ at Oriel.
The capitulation against Sligo Rovers was extremely worrying, with the manager admitting it was an embarrassing night.
It will be interesting to see if they stick with their respective goalkeepers after nightmare showings on Monday.
Marcelo Pitaluga (Liverpool, on loan at St Pat’s) and George Shelvey (Nottingham Forest, permanent signing for Dundalk) arrived on these shores with the expectation they would raise the standard of goalkeeping in the league.
However they struggled massively on Monday. Shelvey is rated as an injury doubt for O’Donnell’s side.
Elsewhere high-flying Shelbourne will look to maintain their superb start as they make the short trip to Dalymount Park.
Two 1-0 wins over the double-weekend and maximum points against Shamrock Rovers in the previous outing has made it a wonderful beginning to the season for the Reds.
Bohs failed to build on their win in Inchicore after falling to defeat in Drogheda. Declan Devine cannot afford to start reeling off defeats given how they finished last season.
Galway United came away with plenty of credit for their loss to Shels as Drogheda visited Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.
The Tribesmen are certainly ahead of early expectations. Drogheda got their season going with that win over Bohs so reeling in Galway would be a welcome factor here. Even at this early stage of the season, these games will be telling.
The final fixture sees Derry City welcome Waterford to the RSC. It’s the longest journey in the Premier Division this year. City are still sore from what felt like two dropped points against Shamrock Rovers last Monday.
The Blues are buoyant with Padraig Amond firing in the goals just as he had managed before he left the league 13 years ago.
The match sees Amond take on the other leading striker so far, Patrick Hoban.
St Patrick's Athletic v Dundalk, Richmond Park, 7.45pm
There has been plenty of soul-searching in Inchicore and Oriel Park midweek.
Despite the early-season pressure, a win tonight can change the mood for either side.
Stephen O'Donnell returns to the club he left shortly after winning a FAI Cup and it certainly hasn’t been forgotten whenever these teams meet.
But that storyline is largely out the window with the sides at the wrong end of the table.
Looking ahead to the game, O’Donnell said: "There’s been a quick turnaround from Monday night’s game and we’ve got to get a group of men ready to go and produce on Friday night.
"It’s a big game but they’re all big games in this league. We need to forget about league tables and really hone in ourselves as a group, players and staff and just be a lot cleaner in absolutely everything we do, both sides of the ball.
"There’s no clear identity at the minute, with or without the ball, and we have to become a team that our supporters, at the bare minimum, know what they’re going to get on a Friday night.
"A big result can kickstart our season but the horse comes before the cart. We’ve got to get ourselves right to get the result rather than be banking on a result to get ourselves right. We’ve got to build from within first to help us achieve that result on Friday rather than the other way around."
John Mountney is back in the squad. Mayowa Animasahun, George Shelvey and Jamie Walker are rated as doubtful for the game. Shelvey and Walker were subbed at half-time in the loss to Sligo.
Pat’s boss Jon Daly feels everything is going against his side, with the late penalty against Bohs and some unfortunate mistakes in Waterford.
The return to Dublin 8 could be key, he believes.
"The game against Waterford was obviously disappointing and frustrating.
"My job, the staff's jobs and the players' jobs are to get themselves going, we haven't got time to feel sorry for ourselves.
"I think it's going to be a good game on Friday, we're looking forward to it.
"It's an opportunity to go out and perform and get three points, and to get ourselves climbing back up the table.
"Dundalk's attacking threat is very good, they've got good pace on the sides, we have to play our game and give ourselves the best opportunity.
"Home games are key and it's important that we turn Richmond into a fortress to try and pick up as many points as we can."
Tom Grivosti, Romal Palmer and Ryan McLaughlin look set to miss out for the Saints.
Bohemians v Shelbourne, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
Damien Duff has had plenty of memorable wins in his time at Shelbourne and he is targeting another one here.
Home wins against Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers have been treasured as well as a run to the FAI Cup final.
Each small achievement brings Shels a little higher, and now comes the chance to take the Bohs' scalp in their own stadium.
Duff said: "It has been mentioned we haven't won there in quite a while. We can’t say we feel any added pressure, we put enough pressure on ourselves already.
"Going into (Shamrock) Rovers a few weeks back, we knew it was 18 years since a win at Tolka, we referenced it before the game, but it didn’t make us want to win more.
"Every time the players go out there, they want to do the club proud and have that motivation to win, we know it’s been a long time, but it won’t impact us, we know to go to Dalymount and win we need a special performance regardless of where they are in the league or the recent results, it won’t make a difference.
"We know what’s needed to win the game, it’s a lot easier to do it when we come out of the traps and start well and not chase a performance. Guys are aware, they need to start quickly, in a Dublin derby, there’s no time to work your way into the game, you need to be on it from minute one, it might not be pretty, you might have to do the ugly work and then make your quality count."
Sean Boyd returns from suspension for Shels. Shane Farrell is fit despite coming off against Galway last Monday. Shane Griffin is the only absentee.
For Bohs it’s just a second home game of the season after their clash with Dundalk was snowed off.
The sloppy performance at home to Sligo Rovers cannot be repeated, as Declan Devine admits.
"When we play in Dalymount, there is no better place to play," he said. "But we have a responsibility as well to make sure the fans have something to get behind. Our form at Dalymount last year was strong, and we need to build on that now. Our home form has to be right on the money.
"Shelbourne have had an outstanding start to the season and have already had some big wins. They have performed very well and have strengthened their squad very well as well.
"Our games against Shelbourne last year were generally tight affairs, so we know that going into the game that we are going to have to be at our very best.
"But we are very much looking forward to playing at Dalymount Park. We were disappointed that the game against Dundalk last Friday was called off as we want to be putting in performances in front of our home fans.
"It’s a big rival now coming into our backyard now, another Dublin derby, so there is no extra motivation needed."
Paddy Kirk and Declan McDaid are doubts with knocks.
James McManus will miss this game but should return later in the month.
Keith Buckley (knee) and Rob Cornwall (knee) remain out.
Derry City v Waterford FC, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 7.45pm
Derry City have laid down a marker of improvement with their early season results as Waterford travel north tonight.
Unbeaten in games in which they have previously faltered last season, Ruaidhri Higgins is pleased with what he has seen.
There are regrets over not taking the maximum points from Tallaght last Monday, yet there are three more battles to come with the champions.
Avoiding injuries will be vital and it hasn't been smooth sailing. Patrick McEleney will return in the coming weeks, possibly even tonight, although Will Patching is out after pulling up in the warm-up against Shams.
Higgins knows Waterford will test his side.
"It certainly hasn't been a surprise to me how well Waterford have started," he said.
"They have quality throughout the team and carry a really potent threat at the top end of the pitch.
"They were very impressive in beating St Pat’s last time out and that shows the type of challenge we're facing on Friday night.
"We've started fairly well ourselves with two wins and two draws and our home record has been excellent for a while now.
"I saw recently that bar last year's penalty shoot-out in the cup, we've won 13 and drawn five of our last eighteen games here in all competitions.
"That's something I'm proud of and while obviously it could change anytime, it's important that the Brandywell remains a very difficult place for visiting teams to come."
Connor Evans is still conducting returning to training protocols after picking up concussion in training last week.
The Blues have a couple of unspecified knocks after their win over St Pat’s last Monday.
Galway United v Drogheda United, Eamonn Deacy Park, 7.45pm
In an unpredictable league so far, this game is extremely hard to predict.
Galway boss John Caulfield said: "It's a huge game. The problem with us us is everyone thinks (we should beat them) with Drogheda coming and they've been a Premier Division team for the last three years.
"They've invested a lot of money as you can see with Jack Keaney and Frantz Pierrot. It's a third game in a week. It's a different type of game and we have to be ready
Stephen Walsh is back from suspension. Wassim Aouachria remains out for this game.
Adam Foley is Kevin Doherty's only injury doubt ahead of the trip to Galway.
