Despite winning only two of their eleven Championship fixtures to date, Billy Davies's men are only five points adrift of the play-off places and can take a big step towards the top six with a decent haul from the games against Middlesbrough and Ipswich at the City Ground, where the hosts are yet to taste defeat this season.
Gordon Strachan will bring his 'Boro side south knowing that they desperately need a win to ease some of the pressure that is building at the Riverside Stadium.
Pre-season promotion favourites following a busy summer of transfer activity, Strachan's side slumped to 20th in the table following Saturday's defeat by Leeds United.
Then it is the turn of Roy Keane to return to his former club with an Ipswich side currently in 6th place after a solid start to the campaign, boosted by the goals of Jason Scotland, who was again on the mark on Saturday but who could not prevent a home defeat by Coventry City.