After a lengthy break in Premier League action for the FIFA international window and last Saturday's MTN8 final, hostilities resume on Tuesday night with arguably the biggest match of the season so far.
Under-pressure Kaizer Chiefs make the short journey to Pretoria to face Mamelodi Sundowns, who are now free from their African club commitments and have turned their attention solely to regaining the league title they lost to Bidvest Wits last season.
KweséESPN looks at five key issues ahead of the midweek matches.
No case for the defence for Chiefs
As if facing Sundowns was not difficult enough at the best of times, Chiefs must do it without fit a recognised rightback and a total of five senior defenders out injured.
Rightbacks Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Kgotso Moleko are out until the New Year with injury, while centrebacks Lorenzo Gordinho and Teenage Hadebe are still some weeks away from being fit. Veteran leftback Tsepo Masilela is also on the sidelines.
It means Erick Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso are likely to be the pair in the centre of the defence, with Sibusiso Khumalo, who has only just returned from injury himself after being tipped to leave the club in the last transfer window, potentially getting a chance to revive his career.
Philani Zulu is another option in that position, though one of those might be switched to rightback because, well, there is nobody else.
The other option would be to hand a debut to teenager Siyabonga Ngezana, though to give him his bow against such quality opposition would be a massive gamble from coach Steve Komphela - himself under pressure.
Adding to the latters' woes, leading striker Gustavo Paez is also out for the next three weeks leaving the side looking thin in attack too.
Can City bounce back?
Cape Town City have the chance to go top of the Premier League table on Tuesday night with the same number of matches played as their rivals if they win at home to Bloemfontein Celtic.
But the team will surely be battling physical and mental fatigue after their exertions in the MTN8 Final loss to 10-man SuperSport United in Durban on Saturday.
City laboured for 120 minutes on a heavy pitch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, but could not win a game that they largely dominated and created enough chances to have come away victorious from.
They then suffered the mental anguish of defeat in the penalty shootout and so will have tired legs and weary minds going into the match against Celtic.
The latter are vastly improved from last season under new Serbian coach Veselin Jelušic and are well rested after last playing in a 1-0 home win over league champions Bidvest Wits on October 1.
City coach Benni McCarthy has shown already that he is willing to make wholesale changes and he will likely throw in fresh bodies for the game.
Pirates look to dim Stars
Platinum Stars are the only team in the Premier League without a win this season as they travel to Orlando Pirates, who should have too much for their visitors.
Having said that, Pirates have not quite looked the business yet under new coach Micho Sredojevic, having taken 12 points from a possible 21 this season, with three wins, three draws and a defeat.
But they are certainly improved on the last campaign and have proven a tough nut to crack at their Orladndo Stadium home.
Stars have just a single away win in the league since February, but last time out did get a battling draw at AmaZulu.
Their coach Roger de Sa will know everything there is to know about Pirates having coached their previously, and it will come down to whether his side can execute on the day.
High-flyers Baroka FC, Golden Arrows clash
If you had said at the start of the season that seven rounds in there would be a top-of-the-table clash between Baroka and Lamontville Golden Arrows, there would have been a fair bit of chuckling.
But these two find themselves one and two in the table as they prepare to meet at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday as the only two sides still unbeaten in the league this campaign.
Smart money would be on Baroka, who are always strong at their home base in Polokwane, but Golden Arrows have a new-found solidity about them that sees the team soak up pressure and then hit teams on the break.
Both sides have scored 11 goals and conceded five in their seven matches so far, which suggests there is little to choose between them.
Golden Arrows were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Chippa United last time out on September 30, while on the same evening Baroka won 2-1 at Chiefs.
The Soweto Derby looms ...
Though they will deny it, both Chiefs and Pirates will have an eye on Saturday's Soweto Derby too. Midweek defeats would be seen as disappointing by both sides, but to lose the Derby would be a massive blow, and possibly a knockout one for Komphela.
How much that will dictate the intensity of their performances in midweek remains to be seen, though Chiefs will have an extra day to recover and plan for the showdown at Soccer City.
Pirates are defending a seven-match unbeaten run against their great rivals and will know they can land another significant psychological blow to their bitter rivals at the weekend.