The team lifting the English Premier League title at the end of the season is either going to be Chelsea or Manchester City, and the match between the two at Stamford Bridge on Saturday could very well play a big part in deciding the eventual champions.
So, no pressure then for both sides as everyone looks forward to what promises to be one humdinger of a "cannot-miss-it" clash.
One person, who will be missed, though, is Diego Costa, with the Brazilian grabbing all the headlines after an independent committee handed the Chelsea striker a three-match ban for his stamp on Emre Can during the Capital One Cup semifinal second leg against Liverpool in midweek.
Jose Mourinho was so incensed by the decision, or the impending one, that he decided to cancel the press conference on Friday, meaning there are absolutely no thoughts from the Portuguese ahead of this crunch encounter.
Mourinho knows how important Costa is to his side, but the Portuguese will see the decision as another point to lock in that siege mentality within his squad, something that he likes to do and helps him get results from his players.
While Costa will be a huge miss, another player equally vital to Chelsea's cause and also doubtful to feature is Cesc Fabregas, who picked up a hamstring injury against Liverpool. Fabregas has been the creator in chief for Chelsea this season, banging in the assists easier than goals and the medical staff will probably be doing everything in their power to get the Spaniard ready for the match against Manchester City.
After all, City are vulnerable at the moment having suffered back to back defeats to Arsenal and Middlesbrough in the Premier League and the FA Cup respectively.
The champions were thoroughly outplayed by Arsenal in their last Premier League encounter and they can expect a similar performance from Chelsea as well, a team Pellegrini accused of playing like Stoke in the draw at the Etihad earlier this season.
"It was a mistake to compare with Stoke -- my mistake," said Pellegrini. "Chelsea can play in the way they want and we are going to continue playing in the style I think is best for this team. I always play to win.
"There are different styles of winning. Jose Mourinho is a very important manager. He won a lot of titles during his career in different countries. He has a strong team, a very good squad and a way to play that makes it more difficult [to play against].
"I expect a very good Chelsea, a good defensive team that presses high, who are very good at counter-attacks. We'll have to stick to our plan and try to move the ball fast. We'll be an offensive team as always."
Chelsea have played some splendid football this season, and deservedly find themselves top of the table, five points clear of Manchester City. Having said that, though, Mourinho always tweaks his team's playing style for the big games, and Pellegrini will know that pretty well.
City, who remain without their own talisman in the shape of Yaya Toure, will need to play a lot better offensively if they are to break down the impeccable Chelsea defence led by John Terry, and David Silva might just be the vital player in this game, even if Sergio Aguero will look to take the paludits as well.
Only time will tell just how Chelsea play if they are without two of their best players, with the onus naturally then falling on Eden Hazard, who has the talent and skill to create that moment of magic, especially if it a tight game.
One thing is for sure, goals or no goals, Chelsea vs Manchester City promises to be an absorbing encounter.
Lineups: Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Remy.
Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; Navas, Silva, Milner; Aguero.
Where to Watch Live
The big EPL match is scheduled for a 5.30 pm GMT (11 pm IST, 12.30 pm ET) start with live coverage in India on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2 in India. The game can also be watched via live streaming online in India on StarSports.com.
Viewers in the UK can catch the match live on Sky Sports 1, while the live streaming option is on Sky Go or Watch Sky Sports. Catch the game live in the US on NBC Sports, while the action can also be live streamed online on NBC Sports Extra.
Audience in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the game via live streaming online on Bein Sports Connect, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same on SuperSport online. Australia viewers can watch the game on Fox Sports and live stream it Fox Sports On Demand, while viewers watching in Canada can do so on Sporsnet or Watch Sportsnet.
