We have picked out the key points to watch out for on matchday 22 of the Russian Premier Liga.

Oldest Derby set to ignite

For almost a century, Dynamo vs Spartak has been the defining derby of Moscow. The balance of power may have fluctuated over time, but the battles are as intense as ever. It was Dynamo who drew first blood in the Soviet League era, lifting the first title in 1936 after a 1-0 win against Spartak at Dynamo Stadium, on the site of the present-day VTB Arena where the Red-Whites will visit again this weekend. Spartak returned the favour the following season as champions, and so the rivalry developed.

Although Dynamo came out on top in the most recent meeting - a 2-0 win in the Russian Cup last month - it is Spartak who have had the upper hand since the break-up of the USSR. In fact, the only teams against whom they have a higher win percentage in the Russian Premier Liga are Krylia Sovetov Samara and FC Rostov. If they come out on top on Saturday, they will have won half of all meetings in the Russian league system.

The modern incarnation of the derby pits two young German coaches against each other who have met each other before joining the RPL. In their homeland it was Domenico Tedesco who held the upper hand, winning three and losing one of the four previous encounters, while since taking over at Dynamo back in October, Sandro Schwarz has so far thwarted his compatriot with a 1-1 draw in the league and the recent Cup win. In fact, Schwarz has only faced Julian Nagelsman more often in his career so far, so there is plenty of direct experience on the touchlines.

This will be Quincy Promes’ first taste of the derby since returning to Russian football. The Dutchman has already hit the ground running, scoring in the historic 6-1 thrashing of FC Krasnodar at the weekend, and will have the perfect motivation - he has scored more goals against Dynamo Moscow than against any other side in his professional career, scoring six goals in six clashes.

Zenit title challenge under threat?

It is rare to see the reigning champions and current league leaders Zenit St. Petersburg struggle, and while a first league defeat since October - thanks to a 99th-minute Artem Dzyuba penalty being saved - hardly constitutes a crisis, it has closed their lead to just two points over CSKA Moscow. The 2-1 defeat to Rubin Kazan was the second consecutive league match in which they’ve dropped points too; the last time they went three RPL games without a win came almost three years ago.

Standing in their immediate path is an obstinate Akhmat Grozny. The Chechen side have an impressive record against Zenit in recent years, drawing five of the last six league meetings. In fact, if you include last season’s Russian Cup knockout clash - which was decided by an extra-time winner from Yury Zhirkov - it becomes six out of the last seven to be level after 90 minutes.

CSKA themselves face Arsenal Tula on the road, knowing that they could go top of the pile in the event of an unlikely defeat at the Gazprom Arena for Sergey Semak’s men. CSKA have only won twice in the last seven matchdays and yet are still right in with a shout of challenging for top spot.

Spartak may have the toughest challenge of the top three with a derby away to a Dynamo side that has only conceded a remarkable three goals at home all season, but can move to within a win of leapfrogging Zenit if they better the leaders’ result. Following a blistering performance in which all four frontline forwards got on the scoresheet last weekend, there will be no shortage of confidence for the Red-Whites.

Europa Conference League battle heating up

FC Sochi really are a team of two halves. At home they have gone over a calendar year unbeaten, but they have still only won three games on the road in the last 18 months - and two of them came against newly-promoted sides. This weekend they travel to face Lokomotiv Moscow who have won their last two games without conceding, including a derby win over second-placed CSKA last time out at home.

After the top two of Zenit and CSKA, both of whom are in line to reach the Champions League as things stand, the following six sides are separated by just four points. If Lokomotiv win 1-0, or by a two-goal margin, they will go above Sochi, while the oldest Moscow derby throw up a number of permutations when it comes to the standings after matchday 22.

Despite their woes away from home, Sochi have become harder and harder to beat with five clean sheets in a row. They last conceded back in November, and last let in more than one goal in a single game in October when they were beaten 3-1 by Dynamo Moscow. Holding out to Marko Nikolic’s men would be impressive in isolation; will it be enough in the fight to reach UEFA’s newest competition?

Can Khimki enter the race for Europe?

It is a sign of how far Khimki have progressed that they left Volgograd disappointed with only a single point and a clean sheet last weekend. Both newly-promoted sides were expected to aim for survival, and yet after the incredible run of form since Igor Cherevchenko took over Khimki are setting their sights towards the other end of the table.

They could have already been playing in Europe this season had they not fallen to a late Zenit penalty in the Russian Cup Final last summer, but to be in with a shout of qualifying through the league - especially after the RPL’s number of places dropped this season to four - is impressive in itself. 

The gap up to the all-important fourth place is eight points with nine games remaining. With third to sixth all playing each other, and this weekend’s opponents Rostov potentially only two points ahead after this matchday if Khimki win, the prospect becomes a lot more tantalising.

Photo: Konstantin Rybin/RPL