Muang Thong United travel to Buriram United today with high hopes of coming away with a victory that would send them three points clear at the top of the table, as the second half of the Thai Premier League season gets underway.
Buriram striker Diogo Santo, centre, in action against Muang Thong in their 1-1 draw earlier this season.
Though the Kirins’ form has improved a great deal recently, their chances of leaving Buriram’s I-Mobile Stadium with a victory in the bag seem remote if not impossible.
In their past 17 meetings in all competitions, Muang Thong have failed to beat the Thunder Castle.
The stakes are high for both sides who remain level on 37 points from 17 matches, although Buriram hold a slight advantage over the Kirins by sporting a better goal difference.
However, at the end of the season, rankings between teams with the same number of points will be determined by head-to-head results and not goal difference.
Ahead of today’s clash, Buriram have a slight advantage as they held Muang Thong to a 1-1 draw at SCG Stadium earlier this season.
Any match between these bitter rivals is fierce, and today's clash is no different. Buriram are deploying 400 security personnel to ensure there is no crowd trouble inside or outside the ground.
Muang Thong coach Dragan Talajic rated the clash between the Kirins and Buriram as one of the biggest matches in Asian club football.
Talajic said: “This is a game between the top two teams in Thailand. Whenever we meet each other, it is always exciting because both teams are the best and always chase the title.
“From my coaching experience in Asia for more than 10 years, I would say the match between Muang Thong United and Buriram United is the biggest match in the continent.
“Right now, our team is getting better. We are ready in every department and I am confident our players will put on their best show. I am also confident that we will claim three points from the Buriram match.”
Buriram manager Tatthep Pitakpoolsin said: “Our team is 100 percent ready for the big match. Every player is fit to play with only [Venezuela defender] Andres Tunez still injured. We will go on the attack from start with in-form Diego Santo playing as the striker.”
Buriram welcome back Diogo’s Brazilian compatriot and strike partner Gilberto Macena.
Muang Thong manager Kan Chantharat said their strike force of Cleiton Silva, Mario Gjurovski and Teerasil Dangda were all raring to go.
He said: “It is good that we are taking on Buriram at this stage because it could relieve some of the pressure on us in the later stages. It's a tough game but you can’t rule out a victory for us tomorrow [today].”
Buriram’s Diogo is the league's top scorer with 15 goals, while Cleiton hit a hat-trick in Muang Thong’s win in the FA Cup in midweek.