We are now just a day away from the latest instalment of the South Coast Derby kicking off.
The excitement is palpable, as Southampton prepare to face their arch nemesis, Portsmouth, in their first taste of Championship action since the 2-1 defeat to Wrexham last month.
The international break will have felt like an eternity for the average matchgoer at St. Mary's, you imagine, and there would have been a lot of grumbles about the elongated break, as it looked as if Cyle Larin and Daniel Peretz had picked up unwanted injuries playing for Canada and Israel.
Thankfully, Tonda Eckert has reassured fans that both key first-team individuals will feature against Pompey, with the added bonus of a returning Caspar Jander only raising the excitement levels.
The team does sort of pick itself in certain parts of the pitch, with Larin - who is currently on seven goals for the season in league action - a shoo-in up top, if he isn't rusty.
Likewise, Peretz will remain inbetween the sticks, as he has consistently started under Eckert.
There is one surprise alteration the German might be contemplating, however, for the showdown tomorrow lunchtime...
The surprise alteration that could happen
For a lot of Eckert's first-team personnel, this will be their first ever exposure to the hostile environment of a South Coast Derby.
Keven Schlotterbeck, who is likely to start the match in the heart of defence, won't be flustered by the occasion, though, having played in a lot of noisy and hectic games in the Bundesliga.
He could be partnered by Jack Stephens at the back to give him an experienced South Coast head, anyway, with Nathan Wood perhaps dropping out, for the long-term St. Mary's servant to start.
This might be deemed as an unnecessary switch, considering Wood has looked largely composed this season, next to errors seeping into Stephen's game all too often.
But, the 32-year-old lives and breathes this Derby, having worn Saints red and white a colossal 248 times, at the time of writing.
He also wore the captain's armband during both league matches last season, and kept a clean sheet at St. Mary's in that tense 0-0 stalemate.
Southampton fans might be initially hesitant, when looking back at Stephens' error-filled performance at Watford on the opening day.
But, this game requires passion and guts from the very first minute, and the veteran defender will be prepared to give his all.
He was definitely enthusiastic and fired up for the match on Sunday when speaking to the media recently, as the wait for the nail-biting clash to arrive is nearly over.
Stephens knows the magnitude of the match
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Stephens spoke with a level head, but also with passion, about the magnitude of the match ahead, which is exactly what Eckert will want from his entire group, when the first ball is kicked.
He won't want a bulldozing mentality from the get-go, but a calm confidence will stand them in good stead, with Stephens articulately explaining to the media how a win can be secured without anyone losing their heads in an extreme way.
He said: "We also have to put our professional heads on and try and take a little bit of the emotion out of it and just focus on the game plan and how we're going to approach it.
"We know that our home form is excellent and has been excellent for a number of months, especially the start of this season, so it's important that we focus on that and try and keep that home form going and if we do that then we'll have no problem on Sunday."
The accomplished number five is spot on with his views on the game, and while many fans will be put off by his inclusion, due to his shoddy recent form, he could be perfect for such a blood-and-thunder affair.
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