Sydney FC know the pressure is on ahead of the A-League's final Big Blue of regular season -- they're just not the ones carrying the load.
For their fierce interstate rivals Melbourne Victory, it will be all or nothing on Friday night if they're to remain a shot at the Premiers' Plate.
The Sky Blues, back to customary winning ways with a 3-1 defeat of Melbourne City, sit eight points clear at the top with six regular-season games remaining.
Should the tearaway leaders, on 50 points, win at Allianz Stadium they'll effectively seal the title, and a potential home grand final.
That fact isn't lost on Victory skipper Carl Valeri.
"Is it the last throw of the dice?" Valeri told News Corp. "Look, if we want to have a crack at the title then we've got to win."
Sydney coach Graham Arnold backed his dominant team to claim a third successive Big Blue triumph, in what is shaping as a possible Grand Final preview.
"The pressure is on them on Saturday [against Adelaide] to try to keep the distance a little bit closer," Arnold said the day before Victory held off a late scare to defeat the last-placed Reds 2-1.
"The main goal is to be the best team in the history of the 10-team competition with 58 points, and that's what we're striving for.
"We've got six games left, we've got four games at home and only two away so we want to win our home games."
Victory must play three away games from their six remaining but, barring a complete collapse, are in plum position for a top-two finish and home semi-final.
Their claim to second spot was given a helping hand by City's loss and Brisbane's 2-1 home defeat to Wellington.
Perth leapfrogged them both into third after their 2-0 home win over Western Sydney but are 11 points adrift of Victory.
Meanwhile, the injury-depleted Roar's surprise capitulation was a crucial missed opportunity that allowed others to surge ahead while also handing the battling Phoenix a finals lifeline.
"The positive was that there weren't any more injuries," Roar coach John Aloisi said.
"We've got a couple of players coming back in for Korea, Tommy Oar in particular."
Brisbane travel to face K-League outfit Ulsan Hyundai on Tuesday night in their second Asian Champions League group match.
The Wanderers play Shanghai SIPG in China on the same night before Adelaide come up against Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning on Wednesday.