The new Russian Premier Liga trophy will continue its tour of RPL grounds by being presented at FC Rostov vs CSKA Moscow on Monday 9 March. That fixture, as well as Spartak Moscow vs FC Krasnodar, has also been selected for English-language commentary among the live YouTube broadcasts this weekend.

FC Orenburg (14) vs (6) Arsenal Tula

14:00 MSK, Saturday 7 March, Gazovik Stadium

Matchday 20: Krylia Sovetov Samara 1-1 FC Orenburg//FC Sochi 1-2 Arsenal Tula

After drawing 1-1 last weekend FC Orenburg haven’t won in their last four RPL fixtures, leaving them in the relegation playoff zone. Only FC Rostov and FC Ural Ekaterinburg have conceded more goals this season. They have collected just one point from their last three home games and have won just twice at home all season.

Arsenal Tula could hardly have left it later last weekend to snatch all three points from bottom-of-the-table FC Sochi. Evgeniy Lutsenko struck as the fifth minute of added time elapsed to keep them in sixth place, three points clear of FC Ural. They have won their last three RPL games away from home.

Head to head: Three of the last five RPL matches between FC Orenburg and Arsenal Tula have been draws.

Dynamo Moscow (10) vs (11) FC Tambov

16:30 MSK, Saturday 7 March, VTB Arena

Matchday 20: Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Spartak Moscow//FC Tambov 0-0 Rubin Kazan

Kirill Novikov had no answer to Spartak Moscow’s immaculate gameplan in the historic Moscow derby last weekend. Dynamo Moscow now drop into the bottom half of the table below Spartak following two consecutive defeats without scoring. Before the loss to Spartak, however, they had only lost one other home game since August.

FC Tambov have now not conceded in their last three Russian Premier Liga matches after last weekend’s goalless draw with Rubin Kazan in Nizhny Novgorod. They’ve also only lost once in their last seven league games but have kept just one clean sheet away from home.

Head to head: Dynamo have won all three previous meetings.

Rubin Kazan (13) vs (15) Krylia Sovetov Samara

14:00 MSK, Sunday 8 March, Centralniy Stadium

Matchday 21: FC Tambov 0-0 Rubin Kazan//Krylia Sovetov Samara 1-1 FC Orenburg

Leonid Slutskiy’s grand return to Russian football began with a damp squib as his new Rubin Kazan side drew 0-0 away to FC Tambov. It was their sixth draw in their last eight RPL games, and astonishingly means they have won just once since last August. Only FC Sochi have been waiting for a win longer, but at least only two sides have conceded fewer home goals.

Krylia Sovetov were slightly let off the hook last weekend as Djordje Despotovic missed a penalty against them for FC Orenburg, although their point does give them a little extra breathing space above FC Sochi at the foot of the table. They have won any of their last seven RPL games now though and have scored just three times in that run.

Head to head: Krylia Sovetov Samara have scored just five goals in their last seven meetings with Rubin Kazan.

FC Sochi (16) vs (7) FC Ural Ekaterinburg

16:30 MSK, Sunday 8 March, Fisht Olympic Stadium

Matchday 20: FC Sochi 1-2 Arsenal Tula//CSKA Moscow 1-1 FC Ural Ekaterinburg

Aleksandr Kokorin’s long-awaited return to action was bittersweet for the on-loan forward; the official man of the match first missed a clear chance from close range, then he scored an impressive individual goal before his side losing to a last-gasp Evgeniy Lutsenko goal. FC Sochi are now four points clear in last place - admittedly with a game in hand to be played next week - while they haven’t won or kept a clean sheet since September.

FC Ural were denied what would have been a first-ever win over CSKA Moscow by a stunning late volley from Mario Fernandes last weekend. It did extend their unbeaten RPL record to five games overall, and eight away from home. FC Ural have scored four goals in their last two away matches now, while no team have lost fewer away games all season.

Head to head: FC Ural have only played FC Sochi once, winning 3-1 earlier this season.

Lokomotiv Moscow (5) vs (12) Akhmat Grozny

19:30 MSK, Sunday 8 March, RZD Arena

Matchday 20: Zenit St. Petersburg 0-0 Lokomotiv Moscow//Akhmat Grozny 1-1 FC Rostov

Stanislav Magkeev was named man of the match in only his third RPL appearance this season for Lokomotiv Moscow as they held firm away to reigning champions Zenit St. Petersburg. Impressive as the performance and result was, Lokomotiv have now only won once in their last seven RPL games, including their last three at home.

Akhmat Grozny have the same record over the last seven RPL matches of just one win, although their away form is more worrying. In their last 12 away RPL matches they have won only twice, and this season only Rubin Kazan have scored fewer than Akhmat’s five goals on the road.

Head to head: Lokomotiv Moscow haven’t lost in the last seven clashes, winning four.

FC Rostov (3) vs (4) CSKA Moscow

14:00 MSK, Monday 9 March, Rostov Arena - LIVE commentary in English on YouTube

Matchday 20: Akhmat Grozny 1-1 FC Rostov//CSKA Moscow 1-1 Ural Ekaterinburg

Eldor Shomurodov went joint-top of the RPL goalscoring charts as he helped FC Rostov to a 1-1 draw away to Akhmat Grozny last weekend. Valeriy Karpin’s side have the second-worst defensive record overall and have won once since October. On the other hand, they’ve lost at home just once since last April.

CSKA Moscow struggled to break down a stubborn Ural Ekaterinburg last weekend, relying on Mario Fernandes’ heroics in the closing stages. They were also knocked out of the Russian Cup quarterfinal in extra time by Spartak Moscow midweek. Although they haven’t lost away from home since last August, they have now registered just two wins from their last nine RPL games.

Head to head: FC Rostov are unbeaten in the last four encounters with CSKA Moscow.

Spartak Moscow (9) vs (2) FC Krasnodar

16:30 MSK, Monday 9 March, Otkritie Arena - LIVE commentary in English on YouTube

Matchday 20: Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Spartak Moscow//FC Krasnodar 2-0 FC Ufa

Spartak Moscow have had a rousing start to the spring season already with derby wins over Dynamo Moscow away and an epic extra-time Russian Cup quarterfinal victory over CSKA Moscow midweek. They have kept five clean sheets in the eight RPL games since Domenico Tedesco took over but have lost five of their last seven home games.

FC Krasnodar left it till the last half an hour to see of FC Ufa last weekend, but the win put them three points clear in second. It was only their second win in their last eight RPL matches, but they remain unbeaten in 10 league games. They have kept just one clean sheet all season away from home, and none in the last five.

Head to head: Both sides have scored in three of the last four meetings.

Zenit St. Petersburg (1) vs (8) FC Ufa

19:00 MSK, Monday 9 March, Gazprom Arena

Matchday 20: Zenit St. Petersburg 0-0 Lokomotiv Moscow//FC Krasnodar 2-0 FC Ufa

League leaders Zenit St. Petersburg dropped points for only the second time since last September as they were held by Lokomotiv Moscow. In fact, they’ve only lost once at home in almost two years. They remain the RPL’s highest-scoring team and have conceded fewer than half the number of goals of the next side.

Although FC Ufa have now won only twice in their last 10 RPL matches, they remain in the top half of the table. Since August they haven’t scored more than one goal in any RPL away game, but they have kept five clean sheets in their last seven away games.

Head to head: Zenit have won four of the last five meetings, scoring at least twice in each of them.