Forget the Premier League title race between Liverpool and Manchester City, English football's most intriguing title race of the 2018-19 campaign will be nearing its conclusion this weekend as National League South leaders Torquay United travel to second placed Woking.
Instead of the managerial duel between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it was Alan Dowson and Gary Johnson who will be looking to outwit each season as their respective sides go head-to-head and the stakes could not be higher.
In what will be their third meeting of the season, and the first at Woking's Kingfield Stadium, United are seeking their first win over the Cards after bowing out of the FA Cup to them at the first round stage - in addition to drawing 2-2 with them in the league in Johnson's first home game in charge.
The Gulls warmed up for this 'six-pointer' in perfect fashion on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over play-off contenders Chelmsford City, which was United's fifth win in a row following victories over Billericay Town, Dartford, Concord Rangers and Wealdstone - a run which has seen United overhaul the Cards as league leaders.
What makes the Gulls' current position seem even more remarkable is the fact when Gary Johnson succeeded Gary Owers as Gulls manager last September, United were 14th position in the National League South - ten points behind the Cards who were top of the table at the time.
For no player is that transformation more apparent than for the Gulls' leading scorer Jamie Reid, who netted what were his second and third goals of the season when United drew with Woking last September, as the Gulls overcame a two-goal deficit to level at 2-2. Torbay-born Reid now has 30 goals to his name and he is the first United player to achieve this feat in a season since Robin Stubbs in the 1964-65 season.
While Reid is revered as the local hero, the same cannot currently be said of Woking centre back Ben Gerring who, like Reid, grew up supporting the club, but, also like Reid, had to seek a route into the professional game beyond South Devon - Gerring joined Plymouth Argyle's youth academy as a child while Reid was spotted by Exeter City.
However, that's where the similarities end, especially after Gerring was filmed joining in with a group of Cards' fans singing an anti-Gulls song in February. He is widely expected to receive a warm reception from the 1,400 or so travelling United support.
Now the Gulls are left requiring just two more wins to secure what would be a first professional title triumph and victory over the Cards would give United the chance to clinch that title in front of their own fans at Plainmoor next week against Eastbourne Borough.
Winning the league would also see United bounce back into the National League at the first attempt, and should they go up via the play-offs the Cards would achieve a similar feat. This would be ironic given that last season's National League South promotion winners Havant and Waterlooville and Braintree Town are currently in the bottom four of the National League and seem destined for a swift return.
