There are 89 minutes on the clock at Molineux later this evening and with the scores locked at 0-0 a ball breaks in the home side's box with Wolves centre-half Nathan Collins the only thing standing between Bukayo Saka and a clear shot at goal.
Win that 50-50 ball and the in-form Arsenal attacker has a nailed-on chance to win the game and ensure the Gunners retain their unlikely status as Premier League leaders until St Stephen's Day at the earliest.
Are there any external factors that might influence the respective commitment of these two top-level professional footballers to throw their body on the line to make sure they win this collision?
Both sides desperately need a win for different reasons, both players have proved their bravery and commitment to the cause time and time again. But only one of them is competing in a World Cup that kicks off in eight days' time.
Next Sunday while Saka is enjoying a pre-match session ahead of England's World Cup opener at the Khalifa Stadium against Iran, Collins will be lining out for the Republic of Ireland against Malta in Ta' Qali ahead of a prolonged Christmas break.
For the World Cup-bound professionals lining out for their clubs across Europe this weekend there is an awful lot at stake beyond three points. That is not to question anyone's professionalism; the diminishing of club competitions is just another unfortunate byproduct of awarding the World Cup to Qatar.
Saka was named in the England squad on Thursday, alongside captain and talisman Harry Kane, who has been included despite being absolutely exhausted, in the words of his Tottenham manager Antonio Conte.
"It was a problem of tiredness. Really, really tired and yesterday we had a soft training session and at one point he stopped himself to recover energy," said Conte, who insisted Kane wasn't asking to be left out of the League Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest, indeed he played 59 minutes of the 2-0 loss before being subbed.
"Another could be selfish and think for himself because in one week they have to play the World Cup. Instead, Harry Kane showed to be a really good man," said Conte, who will likely need to call on Kane again against Spurs, seeing as Son Heung-min will be keeping his fractured face out of the firing line ahead of South Korea's opener against Uruguay.
Throw in Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni pleading with European clubs not to risk any of his unfit players this weekend and you would be forgiven for thinking the pace of top-flight matches across the continent this weekend will be akin to the Over-75s five-a-side match in Father Ted.
We are being robbed of the suspense, the lengthy newspaper explainers of what a metatarsal is, or rolling Sky Sports News coverage of St George's Park
Already the ridiculous seven-day lead-in to the greatest sporting event on the planet (sorry Olympics) has contributed to a host of stars ruled out - N'Gola Kanté, Paul Pogba, Kyle Walker, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Pedro Neto, Giovani Lo Celso and Timo Werner, among many others.
Obviously many of these players wouldn't have made it even with a more traditional three to four-week lead-in, but we are being robbed of the suspense, the lengthy newspaper explainers of what a metatarsal is, or rolling Sky Sports News coverage of St George's Park, where one of England's phalanx of injured full-backs is receiving last-ditch treatment.
With the Premier League and Champions League chuntering away, who has even had a chance to nip to the newsagents to buy World Soccer or When Saturday Comes? Who has put up their wall chart?
The underwhelming build-up to this World Cup obviously pales in comparison to far more serious issues surrounding the welfare of migrant workers, Qatar's attitude to LGBTQ+ people, climate concerns, the fan experience, how the bid itself succeeded and football's own response to the whole affair.
But seeing as this is the global showpiece for the beautiful game and FIFA's primary source of income, wedging it into a five-week window in the middle of the traditional football season seems profoundly counter-productive.
Those of us time rich enough to inflict fantasy football on ourselves are probably in a few related WhatsApp groups and are therefore familiar with the general sense of disappointment when it dawns on the would-be managers that there is an international break coming up.
FIFA are reducing this World Cup to a super-sized international break and it is no succour to realise that, had this calendar been in place in 2002, there would have been no Saipan and Ireland would have won the World Cup.
On the flip side, had Ireland qualified, can you imagine the Seamus Coleman-inspired tension that would have existed between Stephen Kenny and Frank Lampard, the latest in a long line of Everton managers who seem to have constant issues with the fitness of players returning from Ireland duty?
Because the club managers are clearly being badly treated here too.
Livelihoods and careers are riding on every result at the highest level and most of these squads are being emptied of their stars for a three-to-five-week period before returning for a frantic festive period featuring three Premier League fixtures in 11 days.
"A long time ago I accepted what it is," says Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City side take on Liverpool in the League Cup on 20 December, two days after the World Cup final. "In Germany they start 20 January, their first game after the World Cup. We start on 26 December. I don't know when the games against Spurs and Arsenal will be scheduled."
Pep continued: "Look how many injuries already have been done before the World Cup – and after, nobody knows. I have the feeling that we have to pay attention a lot to how the players feel after the World Cup, in March, April, when we arrive in the last stages."
In fairness to the City boss, 12 years ago he had no idea he would be managing in England when he signed on as an ambassador for Qatar's World Cup bid.
Sure, he probably thought they would do the sensible thing and play the World Cup in June and July's 40c and upwards heat, just like he never did when lining out for Al-Ahli in the Qatar Stars League, which runs from September to April.
Now he joins the ranks of frustrated Premier League managers, real and imaginary, kicking their heels during the world's longest international break, waiting for the World Cup hype to finally to wash over us.
