The League of Ireland Premier Division table has an unusual look to it as match day eight takes place tonight.
When looking at this Bank Holiday round of fixtures, few would have predicted it would have been Derry trying to chase down leaders Shelbourne, or St Patrick's Athletic needing a win to close the gap on second place Sligo Rovers.
It's newly-promoted Galway United in the top half with Bohemians below ahead of a meeting in Eamonn Deacy Park.
Mid-table Shamrock Rovers are ominously warming to the task as they look to close the gap on top spot when they travel to Waterford.
But it's perhaps the woes of the bottom side that stand out so far.
Dundalk kick off the day's fixtures with a lunchtime Louth derby against Drogheda United.
They are seeking a first league win of the season to ease some pressure on Stephen O'Donnell after such a poor opening results-wise.
They managed to end a scoring drought in stoppage time against Shelbourne last Friday but have yet to find the net at Oriel Park this season.
While it's very early days in the season, there is no disguising the enormity of this game given Drogheda sit in ninth place. If the visitors were to win, the writing may be on the wall for O'Donnell in being rooted to the bottom.
He spoke openly about the need for realism around their club, given the glory days and the players that brought them are largely all gone.
Dundalk have not kept pace with other sides off-the-field and ownership changes and instability has proven costly.
But victory this afternoon could change the outlook of many and draw in several teams closer to the relegation positions, or Dundalk's worst start to the season in 52 years could reach a new today.
The Boynesiders had to go through many painful derbies during the Stephen Kenny era.
Last season also belonged to the Oriel Park outfit. With a maximum return in the four matches, Dundalk claimed 12 of the 58 points accumulated in the campaign against Drogheda.
How they need that trend to continue this afternoon. The early kick-off is on security guidance given it's a Bank Holiday fixture.
Manager Stephen O'Donnell has "full belief" in the Dundalk players, despite the struggles.
"I'm not disillusioned. I don’t really get disillusioned in the sense that there’s a job to do and there’s a job in hand. It’s a massive job now in regards to getting us ready for Monday and that’s the way I see it.
"I have belief in the players. Again, we need to play with more incisiveness and more penetration. We need to think more aggressively in our play, there’s no doubt about that and that’s what we’ll be working towards.
"We’ve not started the season well, we know that, but are you going to dwell on it, or are you going to get ready for the challenge ahead? We have an early kick-off at 1pm and we’ve to get ready for the game."
United were disappointed to only take a draw from their game with St Pat's last Friday. Their five-point tally could be more after some decent displays. This is a good in which there can be no regrets of what is left behind.
The big games keep coming with Derry City needing to bounce back from consecutive defeats when travelling to play leaders Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
Ruaidhri Higgins described defeat at home to galway United as "unacceptable".
It leaves a six-pointer with Shels eyeing extending their lead over the Candystripes to 11 points.
That is not a situation Derry want to be in before the first quarter of the season is played.
"I'm not going to make excuses because it was a very poor performance from us. It was unacceptable," Higgins said honestly about the display against Galway.
"We now have to pick ourselves up for Tolka Park on Monday. They're flying at the minute and we will have to be an awful lot better than we were at the weekend if we want to get anything from the game."
The only positive on the night for City against Galway was the return of Ciaron Harkin.
The 28-year old returned from two crucial ligament injuries and could feature again tonigh.
Adam O'Reilly, Ben Doherty, Sadou Diallo, Cameron Dummigan and Patrick McEleney were all missing for the Galway game while Pat Hoban was only included in the squad after a late fitness test.
Colm Whelan (cruciate) still has a couple of months more recovery.
O'Reilly and McEleney could possibly feature tonight but once again Derry will be hit be absentees.
Six straight wins has Damien Duff's side clear at the top. Time will tell if they will remain a title challenger throughout the year.
Many expected Sligo Rovers to be in the bottom two but they travel to Inchicore looking to maintain second spot in the table against St Patrick's Athletic.
Four clean sheets in seven games has been the catalyst, aided by the tremendous Ed McGinty, while new signing Ellis Chapman has shown he knows where the net is.
The former Cheltenham Town midfielder secured the points for the Bit O' Red in Waterford to continue their excellent opening to the season.
John Russell was in a similar position to the managers under threat in the league just a few months ago.
While some of their signings are temporary, the likes of McGinty, Max Mata and Fabrice Hartmann have proved crucial for Sligo.
Newly-appointed captain Niall Morahan is maturing into a leader for Sligo.
Rovers will be again without JR Wilson due to a hamstring injury. Winger Simon Power is suspended having been sent off in last Friday's win over Waterford at the RSC.
Russell said: "It's a quick turnaround for us this weekend with back-to-back away fixtures. After a good result on Friday and after a long trip home we are back on the road again where we now face a tough test when we travel to play a talented St Pat's team.
"Richmond Park is always a difficult venue but I have a lot of faith in this group of players. They understand the importance of playing for Sligo Rovers and leaving everything on the pitch. We will need to show that again on Monday to come away with a result."
The Saints are also confident they can secure the points back on home soil, despite having just two victories on the board.
A first draw of the season in Drogheda did little to raise spirits.
Manager Jon Daly wants a big crowd in Dublin 8 to get behind the team: "We understand the frustration, we're frustrated as well that we've not been winning games. I've said to the players that we can't feel sorry for ourselves.
"We need to dust ourselves down and go again and make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity with a big, strong crowd behind us to go and get three points against a Sligo side who've started the season well.
"We're always confident when we play at Richmond that we can go and get a result.
"The fans there have been fantastic for us so it's important we start the game fast and start it will and give the supporters something to get behind. I've firm belief in the lads that they can go and do that."
Shamrock Rovers look to make it three wins on the spin when they travel to Waterford.
A dominant second half display against rivals Bohemians in front of over 10,000 delighted Stephen Bradley.
He is keen for them to move further up the table.
Despite putting Bohs to the sword, Bradley is wary of any complacency, particualrly after the last-minute concession on Friday.
"We were really annoyed. You could feel it afterwards in the dressing room, all the defenders, Leon, the group in general, it really annoyed us to concede that. It was really sloppy from our point of view; Leon switches off in the last few seconds and it cost us a goal.
"Leon is young and is learning, but it’s every second in every minute in the game you need to focus and concentrate. Thankfully, we’ve done it in a game when we’re 3-0 up. We need to learn from that, Leon needs to learn from that, and we’ll move on, but we’re never happy to concede like that.
"It's a tough game against Waterford. When you watch all of their games, other than away to Derry, they’ve been in with a real shout of winning them. You look at their forward line, Padraig Amond, who we know all about, he’s scored goals all his career and is really dangerous.
"Waterford have real pace around that, so you must respect them, respect it will be a big crowd and we know Keith (Long) will have them very well set up. So, it’ll be difficult game."
Rory Gaffney could be available after missing last Friday with injury. A return for Jack Byrne is being planned around next Friday's fixture with St Pat's.
Cameron Cresswell (thigh) & Barry Baggley (back) both miss out for the Blues. Harvey Macadam is a doubt.
Baggley was a big loss for the Sligo game as Waterford failed to break down Sligo in the second half.
Keith Long's men had the better of the opening 45 minutes.
However they failed to trouble the goal and need a big improvement for the visit of the champions.
Alan Reynolds has been learning plenty about Bohemians just days into the job as he gets set to take charge of the team for a second time tonight away to Galway United.
The 3-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers was a painful one and a sign there is plenty of work to be done in north Dublin.
United secured one of their best wins in the last decade by ending Derry City's 10-month unbeaten run at the Brandywell.
Stephen Walsh's breakaway goal provided yet another shock result in what has been a regular feature of the league so far.
The teams will kick-off at 7.45pm in the late game of the Bank Holiday due to television coverage by Virgin Media.
